Sleeper arrangement for railroad switch

Abstract

A track system has sleepers of predetermined width and at a predetermined spacing and a pair of running rails fixed to the sleepers. A switch has inner and outer transversely displaceable tongues engageable with the running rails and a pair of parallel hollow box sleepers of the predetermined width and at the predetermined spacing fixed to the running rails and on which the tongues are transversely displaceable. A drive rod extending transversely in one of the box sleepers is connected to both of the tongues so that a drive connected to the drive rod can transversely shift the tongues. Inner and outer position-monitoring rods extending transversely in the other of the box sleepers are connected to the respective guard rails.

I claim:  
     
         1 . In a track system having 
 sleepers of predetermined width and at a predetermined spacing and a pair of running rails fixed to the sleepers, a switch comprising: 
 inner and outer transversely displaceable tongues engageable with the running rails;  
 a pair of parallel hollow box sleepers of the predetermined width and at the predetermined spacing fixed to the running rails and on which the tongues are transversely displaceable;  
 a drive rod extending transversely in one of the box sleepers and connected to both of the tongues, whereby a drive connected to the drive rod can transversely shift the tongues; and  
 inner and outer position-monitoring rods extending transversely in the other of the box sleepers and connected to the respective guard rails.  
   
     
     
         2 . The track system defined in  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a common housing fixed transversely adjacent the box sleepers and into which the rods extend;    a drive in the housing connected to the drive rod; and    position-monitoring means in the housing connected to the position-monitoring rods for determining the actual positions of the tongues.    
     
     
         3 . The track system defined in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a locking rod extending transversely in the other box sleeper and connected to both of the tongues; and    locking means in the housing connected to the locking rod for fixing the transverse position of the tongues.    
     
     
         4 . The track system defined in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a link above the position-monitoring rods and fixed to and transversely interconnecting the tongues; and    respective inner and outer brackets connecting outer ends of the inner and outer positioning rods to the respective tongues, the locking rod being slidable in the inner bracket and having an outer end fixed to the link between the tongues.    
     
     
         5 . The track system defined in  claim 4  wherein the link is a straight flat metal bar lying in a vertical and transverse plane and having bent ends fixed to the tongues.  
     
     
         6 . The track system defined in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 respective inner and outer brackets connecting the bent ends to the inner and outer tongues.    
     
     
         7 . The track system defined in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a link above the drive rod, fixed to and transversely interconnecting the tongues, and fixed to an outer end of the drive rod.    
     
     
         8 . The track system defined in  claim 7  wherein the link is a straight flat metal bar lying in a vertical and transverse plane and having bent ends fixed to the tongues.  
     
     
         9 . The track system defined in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 respective inner and outer brackets connecting the bent ends to the inner and outer tongues.    
     
     
         10 . The track system defined in  claim 1  wherein each box sleeper has enlarged upper flanges to which the running rails are fixed.  
     
     
         11 . The track system defined in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 chairs fixed to the tongues and slidable on the flanges.    
     
     
         12 . The track system defined in  claim 1  wherein each box sleeper has a floor provided with mounts for control lines.