Patent ID: 8598493

Claim:
A heating system for a switch of a trackway, comprising: a plurality of electrically operated heater elements selectively connectable to a branch network of electric connections extending along the switch; wherein the heater elements include heating plates for a track railbase, friction-plate heaters, and supporting cleat heaters; the electric connections connect a desired number of heater elements to at least one respective current supply bar extending along a length of the switch; the heating plates are arranged to provide heat directly to surfaces of the heating plates in order to decrease snow and ice formation between a blade of the switch and an adjacent track rail; at least one heating plate includes a horizontal comb-like plate arranged to be attached to the track rail by a plurality of fastening tongues configured to be received under the track rail and to clutch the track railbase and an edge portion of the heating plate; and a friction-plate heater is formed by a tubular element heater fitted to a metal plate on resilient legs.