Patent Publication Number: US-7900879-B2

Title: Switch points maneuvering device with manual control

Description:
This claims the benefit of French Patent Application No. 06 06587, filed on Jul. 19, 2006 and hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device for manually activating a set of switch points. 
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     A device of this type is used in particular to move the switch points rail of a set of switch points. To this end, a rod assembly which is formed by an assembly of sliding rods which are connected to each other is arranged along the set of switch points, and the switch points rail is connected to this rod assembly at several locations over the length thereof. At one end, the rod assembly is connected to an activation device which allows the movement of all the rods. 
     An activation device of this type comprises, as known per se, a housing in which there is arranged an electric drive motor at the output of which a step-down gear is provided. The step-down gear is formed by a train of pinions which are contained in a metal casing. The rotating pinions are each retained on parallel shafts which are carried by two opposing and parallel lateral walls of the casing. 
     An upstream end of the output shaft of the step-down gear is coupled in terms of rotation by means of an angle gear to a shaft for manually activating the device which is activated by means of a lever. This lever is used in the event of a malfunction of the motor. 
     Conventionally, the manual maneuvering of switch points driving mechanisms, carried out by means of the lever, ensures complete maneuvering in little more than half a turn. 
     A device of this type allowed switch points devices to be maneuvered for which the force for guided maneuvering was up to approximately 400 kg, corresponding to a guiding force of 33 kg on the lever. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     New switch points systems which are referred to as “maintenance-free” today require maneuvering forces for the guided member in the order of from 600 kg to 700 kg, which corresponds to a force on the lever which is practically impossible for a single person to apply since it is greater than 50 kg. 
     The technical problem is to reduce the manual guiding force to be applied to the lever during the operation for maneuvering the set of switch points, while allowing the set of switch points to be completely maneuvered. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a device for activation using a lever which allows both a force which is acceptable to a normal human being and complete maneuvering of the set of switch points. 
     The present invention provides a device for manually maneuvering a set of rail switch points which is intended to apply a force at a location of the set of switch points in order to switch the set of switch points from a first position to a second position, the device comprising: a housing, a guided member for controlling the set of switch points, which can be moved relative to the housing, a guiding member, which can be moved relative to the housing, a mechanism for transmitting force from the guiding member to the guided member, wherein the transmission mechanism is such that, when the guiding member is moved along at least two displacement paths which have a common portion for driving the guided member, the guided member is driven on each path of the guiding member in the same direction along successive portions of its own movement path. 
     According to specific embodiments, the manual maneuvering device may include one or more of the following features: 
     the transmission mechanism is arranged in such a manner that the guiding member is capable of being moved in a first direction in order to drive the guided member in one direction and is capable of being moved in a second direction, opposed to the first direction, while the guided member remains fixed relative to the housing; 
     the transmission mechanism includes a movable connection member which allows releasable coupling by matching the shape of the guiding member to the guided member; 
     the connection member is a member which is selected from the group including a key and an engagement tooth; 
     the guiding member is a lever which is articulated to the housing, and the transmission mechanism includes, on the one hand, an input shaft which is connected to the guided member and which is capable of being activated by the lever and, on the other hand, a connection member which is capable of coupling or uncoupling the lever to or from the input shaft; 
     the input shaft is provided at one end with at least two longitudinal and circumferential apertures which are distributed angularly in a uniform manner, and the connection member includes a sliding bolt which is accommodated in the lever and a return spring which is capable of projecting a zone of the sliding bolt outside the lever towards the input shaft, which sliding bolt can be moved between a disengaged position in which the sliding bolt and the apertures are offset at the circumference, and the lever is capable of pivoting freely about the input shaft, and an engaged position in which the sliding bolt is engaged in an aperture and retained therein under the action of the return spring and the lever is locked and fixedly joined to the input shaft; 
     the sliding bolt includes a pulling member which forms a gripping member for manual activation and which protrudes relative to the lever, allowing the sliding bolt to be moved outside the apertures; 
     the transmission mechanism further includes a step-down gear and the transmission ratio is less than 1; 
     the length of the lever arm may be less than 1 meter; 
     the transmission mechanism includes an angle gear device; 
     the device includes a device for visualizing the position of the input shaft or correspondingly the set of switch points; 
     the input shaft includes a position encoding plate which is mounted so as to be fixedly joined to and co-axial with the input shaft, perforated by at least two holes which are positioned with circumferential distribution, and the visualization device includes a sheath, a signaling sensor which includes a rod which is provided at one end with a head which is capable of sliding in the sheath and which has a shape which matches that of the holes, the rod carrying, at a second free end, a visual marker, and a spring for urging the rod of the sensor towards the plate, the spring being pretensioned in the sheath and pressing on the head in order to hold it in contact with a face of the encoding plate when the head is angularly offset from all the holes, the visual marker then leaving the hole of the sheath. 
     The invention also provides a method for using the switch points maneuvering device according to the invention, wherein the method involves carrying out, at least once, the steps involving: 
     verifying the initial position of a guiding member between a first guiding member position and a second guiding member position, and the coupled/uncoupled state of the connection for coupling the guiding member to the guided member, 
     carrying out a maneuver in a first direction of the guiding member from the first guiding member position to the second guiding member position, 
     uncoupling the connection member in order to disengage the guiding member from the guided member, 
     carrying out a maneuver in a second direction, opposed to the first direction of the unlocked guiding member, from the second guiding member position to the first guiding member position, 
     coupling the connection member in order to fixedly join the guiding member to the guided member. 
     According to a specific embodiment, the method may involve carrying out the steps indicated twice in order to move the point to the second position thereof. 
     The present invention also provides track equipment including a set of switch points and a maneuvering device according to the invention for controlling the set of switch points. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following description of the embodiment, given purely by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a device for activating a set of switch points according to the invention with an open cover and an engaged fixing sliding bolt; 
         FIG. 2  is a view identical to that of  FIG. 1  with the sliding bolt disengaged from the input shaft of the gear mechanism; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed lateral front view of a partial section, taken along the plane III-III, of the manual portion of the activation device corresponding to  FIG. 1 , with the sliding bolt engaged; 
         FIG. 4  is a view identical to that of  FIG. 3  corresponding to  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the sliding bolt disengaged from the input shaft of the gear mechanism; 
         FIG. 5  is a lateral front view of the device for visualizing stable positioning of the input control shaft, placed in an end position for a semi-maneuver of the set of switch points; 
         FIG. 6  is a lateral front view of the device for visualizing stable positioning of the input control shaft, placed in an intermediate position during a semi-maneuver; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  are schematic lateral views, from the front and left respectively, of the activation device in manual mode with the lever in a start position of a first maneuver; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are schematic views of the activation device in manual mode similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , during the first semi-maneuver; 
         FIGS. 11 and 12  are schematic views of the activation device in manual mode similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , with the lever in an end position of the first semi-maneuver; 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  are schematic views of the activation device in manual mode similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8  when the lever is returned to prepare a second semi-maneuver; 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  are schematic views of the activation device in manual mode similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8  during the second semi-maneuver; and 
         FIGS. 17 and 18  are schematic views of the activation device in manual mode similar to  FIGS. 7 and 8  with the lever in an end position of the second semi-maneuver. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a device for activating a set of switch points  10  includes a housing  12  in which there are arranged a motor  14 , a torque limiter  16  and a step-down gear  18  whose output is coupled to a guided member  20 , in this case a rotating output shaft which is carried by the housing  12  and which extends therethrough. 
     The housing  12  may be produced, for example, from cast iron by means of casting. The housing  12  includes a base  22  which is bordered by a peripheral wall  24  which delimits, opposite the base, an opening  26  which is normally blocked by a removable cover. This cover extends substantially parallel with the base  22 . 
     Fixing lugs  28  are provided at the periphery of the base  22  in order to fixedly join the activation device on the support thereof to the track. 
     The motor  14  is arranged in the housing at the side opposite that from which the output shaft  20  emerges. The output of the motor  14  is connected to the torque limiter  16  by means of a driving “star”  30 . Advantageously, this torque limiter  16  may be, for example, a magnetic limiter. 
     The output of the torque limiter  16  is coupled in terms of rotation to a hollow input shaft  32  of the step-down gear. The output shaft designated  34  of the step-down gear includes at one end an eccentric pin  36  which forms a crank which is engaged in a groove of an arm  38  which is fixedly joined transversely to the output shaft  20  of the activation device. 
     Furthermore, the other end of the output shaft  34  is coupled in terms of rotation by an angle gear  40  to a manual activation or input shaft  41  of the device, which is capable of pivoting about an axis  42 . The shaft  41  is carried by the peripheral wall  24  of the housing and protrudes outwards where it has a profile which is capable of receiving a removable transverse control bar which forms a guiding member  43 , in this instance a lever, for example, which also forms part of the switch points activation device  10 . 
     The transmission ratio manual activation shaft  41 /output shaft  20  may be less than or equal to 1:2, in this instance equal to 1:6, for example. 
     The length of the lever  43  may be equal to approximately 1 meter, this length corresponding to the best ergonomic positioning for the hands of an operator who is manually maneuvering the switch points device, in particular when the lever is located in a vertical position. 
     The manual activation shaft  41  includes a first and a second longitudinal aperture  44  and  46 , respectively, which are diametrically opposed and recessed on the circumferential periphery at one end of the shaft  41  opposite the angle gear  40 . 
     The first and second apertures  44 ,  46  are provided, respectively, with a base wall  44 A,  46 A of a first key coupling zone  44 B,  46 B and a second key coupling zone  44 C,  46 C opposite the first, the coupling zones  44 B,  46 B,  44 C,  46 C shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     In a variant, the manual activation shaft may include an assembly of n longitudinal apertures, with n being greater than or equal to 3, uniformly distributed in an angular manner and being recessed on the circumferential periphery at one end of the shaft  41  opposite the angle gear  40 . 
     There is articulated to the manual activation shaft  41  the lever  43  which includes a head  48  which is provided with a hub  49  and a sleeve  50  which extends from the head  48  and which is fixed thereto. 
     The head  48  includes, in one piece, a solid block  48 A, which is generally in the form of a parallelepiped, and a plate  48 B which has an oblong shape and which extends one face of the solid block  48 . 
     The partially extended face of the solid block  48 A has, on the free portion thereof, a partially cylindrical form which matches one portion of the circumferential surface of the shaft  41  in order to be able to rotate in a skimming manner about the shaft  41 . 
     The oblong plate  48 B, on the face thereof directed perpendicularly towards the free portion of the extended face of the solid block  48 A, includes, in one piece, a hub  49  which protrudes perpendicularly and which is intended to extend longitudinally through the activation shaft  41  along the axis  42 . 
     The free portion of the extended face of the solid block  48 A is perforated along the axis for fitting the sleeve  50  to the head  48  via a first blind hole which forms a chamber  52 . The chamber  52  has a support shoulder which is intended to receive a spring and which is formed by a change in the cross-section of the chamber  52 . 
     The solid block  48 A, on a parallel face opposite the face at which the head hub  49  emerges, is perforated, recessed relative to the level of the connection face, by a second blind hole for connection to the chamber  52 , forming a control chamber  54 . 
     The lever  43  also includes a sliding bolt  56  which is capable of sliding without rotation about the sliding axis inside the sliding bolt chamber  52 , a control pulling member  58  which is capable of extending through the control chamber  54  and being fixed to the sliding bolt  56 . 
     In this instance, the sliding bolt is, for example, a removable key. 
     In a variant, the sliding bolt may be a male element corresponding to an aperture of the engagement tooth type. 
     The lever  43  also includes a sliding rod  60  which is capable of sliding inside the portion of the chamber  52  having the smallest cross-section. A first return spring  62 , of a sliding bolt, which surrounds the rod  60 , has a diameter which allows it to be supported on the shoulder of the chamber  52 . 
     When the sliding bolt  56  is mounted in the sliding bolt chamber  52 , the sliding bolt presses on the first return spring  62  which is compressed. The complete removal of the sliding bolt  56  from the sliding bolt chamber  52  is prevented by the pulling member  58  which extends through the control chamber  54  and allows the path of the sliding bolt to be limited by a first engagement stop  64 . A second disengagement stop  66  opposite the first engagement stop  64  formed by a wall portion of the control chamber  52 , allows the path of the pulling member  58  to be limited, and therefore that of the sliding bolt  56  towards the sleeve  50 . 
     The portion of the sliding bolt  56  that is capable of moving out of the sliding bolt chamber  52  includes a surface which matches the surface of each aperture  44 ,  46 . 
     When the lever head  48  is assembled on the manual activation shaft  41  and the sliding bolt  56  has returned completely inside the chamber  52 , the head hub  49  extends through the shaft  41  and is locked in a longitudinal position by a mechanism so that the outer portion for coupling the sliding bolt  56  to the shaft  41  is aligned with the longitudinal centre of the apertures  44 ,  46 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a position encoding plate  70  of the control shaft  41  is illustrated, mounted coaxially on the input pinion  72  of the gear device  40 . A first recess  74  and a second recess  75  of conical form are perforated at the lever side and are arranged radially in an opposing manner on the encoding plate  70 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate in a detailed manner, along a partial section III-III which can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the lever  48  which is mounted on the control shaft  41  and in particular zones  44 B,  44 C,  46 B,  46 C for coupling the apertures  44 ,  46  of the shaft  41  to the sliding bolt  56 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate a device  88  for visualizing and stabilizing the location of the position of the manual activation shaft  41 . The visualization device  88  includes a shank  94  which is mounted on the wall  24  of the housing  12  and which is connected thereto by a connection member  96 . The shank  94 , which is generally cylindrical and which is perforated from one end to the other, includes two coaxial portions having different cross-sections with a transition zone which forms, at the inner side of the shank  94 , an annular surface  98 . 
     The device  88  for visualizing the maneuver positioning also includes a stud  100  which is formed, on the one hand, by a head  102  which is of conical form adapted to the shape of the recesses  74 ,  75  of the encoding plate  70  and, on the other hand, by a stud rod  104 . A first end of the rod  104  is connected to the stud head  102  while the other end is provided with a visible marker  105 . The visualization device  88  also includes a second stud return spring  106  fitted around the rod  104 . 
     When assembled on the shank  94 , the stud  100  provided with the second spring  106  is accommodated in the shank  94 , the second spring  106  pressing on the annular surface  98 . 
     When assembled on the encoding plate  70 , the stud  100  which is urged towards the wheel  70  by the second return spring  106 , comes into contact with the face, which is directed in the opposite direction, of the first pinion  72  of the angle gear  40 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the visualization device  88  when the aperture  44  is rotated through 90 degrees in a clockwise direction relative to the position which it occupies in  FIG. 5 . 
     The stud  100  is in this instance pushed by the planar face of the encoding plate  70 , a portion of the rod of the stud being removed from the shank  94 , thus allowing the visual marker  105  to be seen by an observer outside the housing  12 . 
     The angle of taper of the recesses  74 ,  75  is adjusted in order to allow the stud  100  to be readily disengaged from the recess  74 ,  75  under the action of a manual force on the lever  43  and a stable positioning of the stud  100  in the recess  74 ,  75  when the alignment is carried out and no lever force is applied. 
     During operation, when the sliding bolt  56  is located opposite an aperture, in this instance the aperture  44  in  FIG. 1 , the sliding bolt  56  engages in the aperture  44  under the action of the return spring  62 . 
     The release of the aperture  44  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  which is similar to  FIG. 1 . Under the permanent manual action of the operator applied to the pulling member  58  radially outwards relative to the axis  42 , the sliding bolt  56  is driven completely inside the chamber  52  thereof, thereby disengaging the lever  43  from the shaft  41 , allowing it to pivot freely. 
     During operation, when the sliding bolt  56  is engaged in the aperture  44  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the lever  43  is engaged with the control shaft  41  by a lateral zone of the sliding bolt  56  which is in contact with one of the coupling zones, in this instance the zone  44 B. The circumferential force F 1  applied by the operator at the end of the sleeve  50  is transmitted by the key  56  to the coupling zone  44 B by a force F 2  of multiplied intensity. The first return spring  62  retains the sliding bolt  56  in an engaged position in the first aperture  44 . 
     When the sliding bolt  56  is released from the aperture  44 , driven by the pulling member  58  under the permanent action of the operator, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the lever  43  can rotate freely about the control shaft  41 . 
     When the operator has rotated the lever  43  so that the sliding bolt  56  is no longer opposite one of the apertures  44 ,  46 , he can release the pulling member  58 , the solid form of the shaft  41  being sufficiently smooth and the return force of the first spring  62  being sufficiently weak to allow the matching surface of the sliding bolt  56  to slide with little friction along the surface of the shaft  41 . 
     When the sliding bolt  56  is again aligned with another aperture, in this instance the aperture  46 , the sliding bolt  56  engages, under the action of the return force of the spring  62 , with the new aperture  46 . 
     When the stud  100  is aligned with one of the recesses  74 ,  75  of the encoding wheel  70 , such as in this instance the recess  74  in  FIG. 5 , under the action of the second return spring  106 , the stud  100  engages in the recess  74  and, at the same time, the visual marker  105  returns into the shank  94  and is no longer visible. 
     In this stabilized position of the shaft  41 , the aperture  44  forms with the recess  74  an angle of 90 degrees in the clockwise direction along the pivot axis  42 . 
       FIGS. 7 to 18  illustrate different steps of the maneuvering operation for a set of switch points in manual mode using the activation device described above. 
       FIGS. 7 ,  9 ,  11 ,  13 ,  15  and  17  illustrate the position of the lever  43  relative to the base  22  of the housing  12 , while  FIGS. 8 ,  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  correspondingly illustrate the position of a switch points connection  112  which is equivalent to the position of a point considered at the movable end of the connection  112 . 
     In  FIGS. 7 to 18 , the housing  12  is provided with a first stop  114  for beginning a maneuvering operation and a second stop  116  for ending a maneuvering operation. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the beginning of a first semi-maneuver when the set of switch points is positioned in a position referred to as the start of a maneuvering operation. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the sleeve  50  of the lever  43  rests on the first stop  114 . The visual marker  105  of the visualization device  88  has returned inside the housing  12  and is therefore not visible. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate an intermediate position of the first semi-maneuver. The sleeve  50  of the lever  43  is activated in this instance towards the left-hand side in  FIG. 9  and controls the movement of the output shaft  20  in the counter-clockwise direction in  FIG. 10 . The sliding bolt  56  is engaged in the first aperture  44 . The visualization marker  105  is apparent and indicates that a stable maneuvering position has not been reached. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate the end of the first semi-maneuver when the sleeve  50  of the lever  43  rests on the second maneuver stop  116 . The visualization marker  105  has returned into the shank  94  thereof and cannot be seen from outside the housing  12 . The point is located in the central maneuvering position thereof. 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate the beginning of the return of the sleeve  50  of the lever  43  in order to prepare the second semi-maneuver. The sliding bolt  56  is manually unlocked from the aperture  44  in order to be able to allow the lever  43  to return to the rear, illustrated in this instance towards the right in a clockwise direction. Since the sleeve  50  of the lever  43  is then moved back into abutment against the first stop  114 , the sliding bolt  56  engages with the second aperture  46  under the action of the spring. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate an intermediate configuration during the second semi-maneuver. The sleeve  50  of the lever  43  is activated again in the counter-clockwise direction in  FIG. 15  and the visual marker  105  can be seen at the outer side of the housing  12 . The point is then moved over the second portion of its maneuver path, that is to say, towards the right in  FIG. 16 . 
     When the second semi-maneuver is complete, as illustrated in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the sleeve  50  of the lever  43  rests on the second maneuver stop  116  while the visual marker  105  can no longer be seen and indicates the end of the switch points maneuver, the point having completed its movement to the end of the path. 
     In this instance, the two paths, a first return movement followed by a second one-way movement of the lever  43  are carried out during the first and the second semi-maneuver, respectively, that is to say, the entire maneuver constitutes a movement path of the lever  43 . 
     A common portion is defined as the common spatial path of the engaged lever, in this instance, moving by a semi-maneuver, a first portion being defined as the initial movement of the lever during the first semi-maneuver and a second portion being defined as the initial movement of the lever  43  during the second semi-maneuver. 
     The second portion follows the first portion in the sequential direction of the portion and the output shaft  20  is driven in the same direction when passing through successive portions. 
     In a variant, a movement path may be a return movement of the lever  43 , where the output shaft  20  is driven in one direction during the initial movement of the lever  43  and is driven in the same direction during the return movement which immediately follows the initial movement. 
     In this instance, there is a mechanism for inverting the drive movement direction of the lever  43  arranged between the lever  43  and the output shaft  20 . A path portion common to the initial and return directions may be defined as constituting a common portion. 
     A first portion is the common portion traveled in the initial direction while a second portion which follows the first is the common portion traveled in the return direction.