Railway switch mechanism and method for operating a railway switch mechanism

Abstract

The disclosure relates to railway switch mechanism comprising a first switch blade and/or first switch frog rail segment that is vertically displaceable by means of a first displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the first switch blade and/or first switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state; and a second switch blade and/or second switch frog rail segment that is vertically displaceable by means of a second displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the second switch blade and/or second switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for operating such a railway switch mechanism.

1 . A railway switch mechanism comprising:
 a first switch blade and/or first switch frog rail segment that is vertically displaceable by means of a first displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the first switch blade and/or first switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state; and   a second switch blade and/or second switch frog rail segment that is vertically displaceable by means of a second displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the second switch blade and/or second switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state, wherein each of the first and second displacement mechanisms comprises:
 a motion control arrangement configured for providing vertical displacement of an associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment in response to horizontal displacement of at least one lower motion control member, and 
 at least one pair of cooperating upper and lower load-carrying members that are configured to be in contact with each other and transmit load from the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment to the lower load-carrying member via the upper load-carrying member when the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment is in the upper switch state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of cooperating upper and lower load-carrying members are configured to be not in contact with each other at least partly along a displacement path of the upper and lower load-carrying members from the upper switch state to the lower switch state. 
     
     
         3 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion control arrangement, for enabling a vertical switch movement of the first or second switch blade or first or second switch frog rail segment from the lower switch state to the upper switch state, is configured for:
 providing upward vertical displacement of an associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment beyond the upper switch state, such that a downward-facing load-carrying surface of an upper load-carrying member is located vertically offset from a upward-facing load-carrying surface of a lower load-carrying member, and   subsequently providing downward vertical displacement of the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment to the upper switch state, in which the downward-facing load-carrying surface of the upper load-carrying member contacts and enables load transmission from the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment to the upward-facing load carrying surface of the lower load-carrying member.   
     
     
         4 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the railway switch mechanism further comprises a support frame in which each of the first and second displacement mechanisms are located, wherein the support frame has a bottom and at least two substantially longitudinal side walls carrying first and second outer rails and enclosing the first and second displacement mechanisms, and wherein each of the first and second displacement mechanisms is fastened to the support frame. 
     
     
         5 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the support frame is provided with an electrical heating mechanism located near each of the first and second stationary lateral support structures. 
     
     
         6 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second displacement mechanisms are driven by a first and second driving members, respectively, and wherein the railway switch mechanism further comprises a single power source that simultaneously drives both the first and second driving members. 
     
     
         7 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of cooperating upper and lower load-carrying members comprises a locking arrangement for mutually interlocking the upper and lower load-carrying members in the upper switch state for preventing relative vertical motion, preferably relative vertical and transverse motion, between the upper and lower load-carrying members in the upper switch state. 
     
     
         8 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion control arrangement further comprises at least one upper motion control member, wherein the at least one lower motion control member and the at least one upper motion control member are configured to interact for translating a substantially horizontal displacement of the at least one lower motion control member to a substantially vertical displacement of the at least one upper motion control member, and wherein the at least one upper motion control member is directly or indirectly fastened to the first or second switch blade or first or second switch frog rail segment, such that the first and second switch blades or first or second switch frog rail segment can be selectively positioned in an upper and lower switch state by substantially horizontal displacement of the at least one lower motion control member. 
     
     
         9 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower motion control member is configured to interact with the at least one upper motion control member via at least one inclined sliding surface or via at least one pivoting joint. 
     
     
         10 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the at least one lower motion control member and at least one upper motion control member comprises a guide track with an inclined path, and the other of the at least one lower motion control member and at least one upper motion control member comprises a guide member arranged to be guided by the guide track. 
     
     
         11 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower motion control member is configured to be displaced in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the first or second switch blade or first or second switch frog rail segment. 
     
     
         12 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein displacement of the at least one lower motion control member in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the first or second switch blade or first or second switch frog rail segment is configured to cause relative horizontal displacement between the load-carrying surfaces of the at least one lower load-carrying member and the at least one upper load carrying member, thereby enabling lowering of the associated switch blade or associated switch frog rail segment from the upper switch state to the lower switch state. 
     
     
         13 . The railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower load-carrying member is rigidly connected directly or indirectly to the at least one lower motion control member, such that they move uniformly. 
     
     
         14 . A railway switch mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second displacement mechanisms comprises at least one pair of cooperating upper and lower wedge-shaped load carrying members that are configured to transmit load from the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment to the lower load-carrying member via the upper load-carrying member when the associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment is in the upper switch state, and configured for providing vertical displacement of an associated switch blade or switch frog rail segment in response to horizontal displacement of the lower wedge-shaped load-carrying member. 
     
     
         15 . A method for operating a railway switch mechanism, the method comprising establishing a vertical switch movement of a first and second switch blade or first and second switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state, the first switch blade or first switch frog rail segment is vertically displaceable by means of a first displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the first switch blade or first switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state; and the second switch blade or second switch frog rail segment that is vertically displaceable by means of a second displacement mechanism in order to establish a vertical switch movement of the second switch blade or second switch frog rail segment between an upper and lower switch state.