Patent ID: 7753318

Claim:
A system for temporary protection operation of at least one controller box for a railroad switch turnout in a non-powered mode, the railroad switch turnout including a normal and a reverse switch point positioned between respective normal and reverse stationary stock rails and a pair of movable switch rails disposed between said stationary stock rails with said normal and reverse switch points being movable between a normal position and a reverse position, said system comprising: at least one normal controller box coupled to said normal switch point for moving said normal switch point between said normal position and said reverse position, each controller box comprising: a housing; at least one block slidably received within the housing based upon moving said normal switch point for establishing at least one pair of electrical contacts within said housing, said at least one block configured to slidably translate within the housing between a compressed position and an extended position, said at least one pair of electrical contacts including at least one pair of compressed contacts being established based on said at least one block having slidably translated into said compressed position and moving said normal switch point into said normal position and at least one pair of extended contacts being established based on said at least one block having slidably translated into said extended position and moving said normal switch point out of said normal position, and at least one pair of rail connections coupling said at least one pair of electrical contacts to said respective normal and reverse stationary stock rails; wherein upon establishing said at least one pair of compressed contacts, said at least one pair of rail connections and at least one pair of compressed contacts facilitate respective opposing current along said normal and reverse stationary stock rails indicative of a safe condition of said railroad switch turnout; and wherein upon establishing said at least one pair of extended contacts, said at least one pair of rail connections and at least one pair of extended contacts facilitate shunting of said respective normal and reverse stationary stock rails indicative of an unsafe condition of said railroad switch turnout.