Abstract:
A cross frog of a grooved rail junction plate having a cross frog tip movably arranged on a sliding plate, wing rails running along the same, as well as auxiliary rails that transition into connecting bars, which delimit a respective groove with an allocated section of wing rail. In order to adjust the cross frog tip within the desired range and to make possible a problem-free exchange in the case of a repair or upgrade with a simple design, it is proposed that the cross frog tip transition without connection into the auxiliary rails.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention concerns a cross frog of a grooved rail junction plate having a cross frog tip movably arranged on a sliding plate, wing rails running along the cross frog tip, as well as auxiliary rails transitioning into connecting bars, which in turn delimit a groove with an allocated section of wing rail. 
   A corresponding cross frog can be found in AT 326 713. The cross frog tip forms a unit with the auxiliary rail, which in turn is screwed or welded to the connecting bars. The cross frog tip is moreover arranged on a sliding plate, which is supported on bases of the wing rails and the auxiliary rails. 
   In accordance with DE-A-35 19 683 in order to align the crossings in their correct position with respect to each other, the same are held by an ingot or a supported plate. 
   A spring-movable cross frog tip for flat bottom rails is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,377,273. 
   In a cross frog for junction plates and crossings of a rail of flat bottom rails, the cross frog tip can be pivoted around an axis and has a stub-shaped projection, which extends between the connecting bars that run at a spacing from each other or the adapters connected thereto (DE-A-2061264). 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is the object of the invention to develop further a cross frog of the kind described above, wherein the cross frog tip has a simple design and can be adjusted within the desired range, making possible a problem-free exchange in the case of a repair or upgrade. 
   According to a further aspect of the invention, it should be ensured that an incorrect positioning of the cross frog tip is precluded and that a derailment can consequently be prevented. 
   According to the invention, the object is attained essentially in that the cross frog tip switches over without connection into the auxiliary rail. 
   Deviating from the prior state of the art, the cross frog tip is not connected to the auxiliary trail or connecting bar. Rather, the cross frog tip itself can be adjusted with respect to the auxiliary rail. Therefore, it is also not required that the cross frog tip have a spring-elastic configuration. The cross frog tip can consequently be configured as a short compact component, which can be adjusted in dependence upon the direction to be traveled. 
   For this purpose, it is provided that the cross frog tip switches over via a lap joint into the respective auxiliary rail, whereupon the lap joint to be traversed is closed in dependence upon the position of the cross frog tip and a gap runs in the remaining lap joint. 
   Particularly advantageous conditions result if the impact surface of the auxiliary rail facing toward the cross frog tip encloses an angle α at its travel edge with preferably α≈30°, and the impact surface of the cross frog tip at the connecting line between the pivot point of the cross frog tip and the point of intersection between the impact surface and the travel edge of the cross frog tip enclose an angle β of preferably about 90°. 
   A particularly stable design results if the auxiliary rail is configured as a four-edge profile of guide rail material. Moreover, the auxiliary rail should be welded to the sliding plate. 
   In order to be able to pivot the cross frog tip configured as a rigid component within the desired range, it is provided that the cross frog tip can be rotatably mounted on a pivot point plate going out from the sliding plate, wherein a mounting plate, which is connected to the pivot point plate, can extend over the surface along the cross frog tip. 
   The cross frog tip can be rotatably mounted in accordance with the invention between the pivot point plate going out directly from the sliding plate and the mounting or fixing plate connected thereto, whereupon in particular the pivot point plate is penetrated by a connector or collar, which is the bearing of the cross frog tip, and is connected, for example, screwed, to the mounting plate. 
   Other bearing possibilities are also possible. 
   The cross frog tip design should be constructed with a box-like design, wherein the upper boundary of the box is the sliding plate. The latter is connected, in turn, to a support structure, which goes out from the wing rails. 
   The box design is delimited on the underside by base plates, on which the wing rails are welded. 
   In a particularly emphasized further development of the invention is proposed a tip configured as a control tip and mounted ahead of the cross frog tip, which can be movably mounted on the sliding plate or one special sliding plate and is positively coupled to the cross frog tip in such a way that a switchover of the control tip leads to a switchover or adjustment of the cross frog tip in the travel direction. 
   By means of this measure, it is ensured that in the case of an incorrect travel, the cross frog tip rests always on the travel rail in correspondence with the position of the control tip, so that a danger-free passing through is ensured. 
   The cross frog itself is in particular a flatbed cross frog. The wing rails can consequently be configured as full-head rails with an internal positive side. This ensures the configuration of a stable movable cross frog tip with a good downshift. 
   The auxiliary rail can be connected via a lap joint to the connecting bar. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further details, advantages, and features of the invention result not only from the claims and the features disclosed therein (alone and/or in combination), but also from the following description of the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, 
     wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a plan view of the area of a cross frog, 
       FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through the area of the cross frog of  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 3  shows a section view of a sliding plate with pivot point plate, 
       FIG. 4  shows a mounting plate, 
       FIG. 5  shows a cross section through a unit of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , consisting of a sliding plate, pivot point plate, and mounting plate, 
       FIG. 6  shows a further embodiment of the area of a cross frog, 
       FIG. 7  shows a longitudinal section through the area of the cross frog of  FIG. 6 , 
       FIG. 8  shows a plan view of the area of the cross frog of  FIG. 1  with the cross frog tip removed, 
       FIG. 9  shows a section along the line IX—IX of  FIG. 8 , and 
       FIG. 10  shows a lateral view of the area of the cross frog of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Different illustrations or sections of the flatbed cross frogs can be seen in the figures, wherein the described design is intended in particular for deep grooves with more than 80 mm, but without having as a result a limitation of the teaching of the invention. 
   In  FIG. 1  is shown a plan view of a cross frog  10  in box-like design having a movable cross frog tip  12 . The cross frog  10  consists as is usual of a base plate  14  having wing rails  16 ,  18  welded thereon, as well as connecting bars  20 ,  22 , which are connected to auxiliary rails  24 ,  26  via a lap joint  28 . The auxiliary rails  24 ,  26  can also be sections of correspondingly processed connecting bars or grooved rails. 
   According to the section view of  FIG. 9 , a sliding plate  34  goes out from a support structure  30 ,  32  that goes out from the wing rails  16 ,  18 , in whose front region  36  the cross frog tip  12  can move, that is, it can be pivoted in the actual sense and slidingly supported. 
   In the section view of  FIG. 1 , it can also be seen that the sliding plate can be connected so as to be vertically adjustable via, for example, a crosslock  66 , to the support structure  32 . 
   The auxiliary rails  24 ,  26 , which are welded by means of the overlapping joint  28  (also called lap joint) to the connecting bars or grooved rails  20 ,  22 , are in particular those consisting of rectangular profiles of guide rail material having an edge length of 80 mm. The auxiliary rails  24 ,  26  delimit with the wing rails  16 ,  18  running alongside thereof grooves  40 ,  42  that transition into the grooves of the connecting bars  20 ,  22 . 
   According to the invention, the cross frog tip  12  is a rigid compact component that can be pivoted around an axis  44  in order to rest selectively with its tip  46  on one of the wing rails  16 ,  18  in dependence upon the passage direction through the cross frog  10 . 
   In order to be able to pivot the cross frog tip  12 , a pivot point plate  48  going out from the sliding plate  34 , which is configured in block-like shape or cuboid shape, is welded to said sliding plate and a mounting or fixing plate  50  can be detachably mounted thereon. In accordance with the illustrations shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the mounting plate  50  encompasses moreover the pivot point plate  48  along its longitudinal sides. As a consequence, the mounting plate  50  has, with the exception of its front area  56 , a U-geometry in section, whose lateral legs  52 ,  54  extend along longitudinal lateral walls  56 ,  58  of the pivot point plate  48 . The mounting plate  50  is moreover detachably connected to the pivot point plate  48  welded to the sliding plate  34  via studs  52 ,  54  or other suitable connecting. elements. 
   The front area  56  of the mounting plate  50  extends above a connector or collar  58 , which is an insert in the pivot point plate  48 . In the intermediate space between the front section  56  of the mounting plate  50 , which extends above the connector of the collar  58 , and the upper side  60  of the pivot point plate  48 , runs a rear section  59  of the cross frog tip  12 , which is penetrated by the connector  58  in correspondence to the section view according to  FIG. 8  and consequently forms bearings for the cross frog tip  12 , and therefore specifies the rotation axis  44 . A breakthrough  62  aligned with the connector of the collar  58  is arranged on the mounting plate  50 , which is penetrated by a stud  64  that can be screwed into the connector of the collar  58 . 
   The cross frog tip  12  has a section in the area of the pivot point plate  48  in order to make possible a pivoting. On the upper side of the cross frog tip  12 , in the area of the mounting plate  50 , is also provided a recess or cavity  66 , into which runs the mounting plate  50 . The depth of the recess  66  with respect to the thickness of the mounting plate  50  is coordinated in such a way that the upper side of the mounting plate  50  runs within the recess  66  or aligned with respect to the outer surface of the cross frog tip  12 . On the other hand, however, it is ensured that the cross frog  12  can be pivoted toward the mounting plate  60 . As a consequence, and induced by the described design, the cross frog tip  12  has a H-shaped geometry in section in its rear area  59 . 
   The connector  58  of the pivot point plate  48  and the coaction with the rear section  59  of the cross frog tip  12 , taking into consideration the mounting plate  50  and if required any existing spacer washers, ensure the rotational mobility of the cross frog tip  12  within the desired range. 
   An even transition to one of the auxiliary rails  24  or  26  occurs, on the one hand, in dependence upon the position of the cross frog tip  12  because said tip is a rigid component. On the other hand, a gap forms with respect to the other auxiliary rails  26  or  24 . In order to cross the groove  42 , the cross frog tip  12  rests with its tip  46  on the wing rail  16  in accordance with the depiction of  FIG. 1 . At the same time, the cross frog tip  12  transitions evenly into the auxiliary rail  26  that delimits the groove  42 . A gap  68  forms instead between the cross frog tips  12  and the auxiliary rail  24 . 
   In order to make possible the corresponding adjustments of the cross frog tip  12  with respect to the auxiliary rails  24 ,  26 , the auxiliary rail  24 ,  26  has an impact surface  70 ,  72  running alongside the cross frog tip, which encloses an angle α of preferably 30° with respect to the travel edge  74 ,  76 . The impact surface  78 ,  80  of the cross frog tip  12 , instead, encloses an angle β of preferably 90° with respect to a straight line  82 ,  84 , which connects the rotation axis  44  with the point of intersection of the impact surface  78 ,  80  to the travel edge  86 ,  88  of the cross frog tip  12 . 
   Because of these structural design conditions, the impact surfaces are planarly superimposed in the direction of travel, whereas in the direction that is not traveled is formed a gap (the gap  68  in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 ). 
   In  FIGS. 6 and 7  is shown a supplement of the teaching of the invention, wherein the same reference numerals are utilized for the same elements, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 4  and  8  through  10 . Thus, the area  100  of a cross frog shown in the plan view of  FIG. 6  also exhibits a so-called control tip  102 , which is pivotably arranged on a sliding plate  104 , which runs opposite to the sliding plate  34  with reference to the groove crossing point  106  of the area  100  of the cross frog on which the cross frog tip  12  is pivotably arranged. The control tip  102  is pivotably mounted around an axis  108 , which extends parallel to the rotation axis  44  of the cross frog tip  12 . 
   The control tip  102  runs with its tip  110  preferably recessed, that is, at a spacing from the break point  112 ,  114  of the wing rails  16 ,  18 , while the break point  112 ,  114  is within the area of the crossing point  106  of the grooves  40 ,  42 . 
   According to the illustration of  FIG. 6 , the tip  110  of the control tip  102  can have outwardly bent sections  116 ,  118  in its lateral walls, whose corresponding moldings  120 ,  122  are allocated to the wing rails  16 ,  18  in order to make possible an even abutment. 
   The control tip  102  is coupled to the cross frog tip  12  in such a way according to the invention, that it is ensured that the cross frog tip  12  is constantly adjusted in the travel direction, in order to preclude an incorrect travel and thereby prevent a derailment, if required. The positive coupling can occur via a swinging fork  124 , which can be pivoted around an axis or a pivot point  126 . The swinging fork  124  is connected thereafter to the cross frog tip  12  and to the control tip  102 . 
   In order to adjust the cross frog tip  12  and thereby the control tip  102  is provided a drive, which can be operated, for example, electrically or hydraulically. A manual adjustment can also be considered. In the exemplary embodiment, the drive should preferably be allocated to the control tip  102  (symbolized with the double arrow  128 ), even though the cross frog tip  12  should be (preferably) actively driven. A linkage tester should likewise be provided, which is indicated by the double arrow  130 . The linkage tester  130 , swinging fork  124 , and drive  128 , including the corresponding pivot points  114 , run below the sliding plates  34 ,  104 , which can also be configured as one piece.