(19) TZZ Z¥_T (11) EP 2 620 347 A1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.: (2006.01) (2006.01) 31.07.2013 Bulletin 2013/31 B61L 27/00 B61L 5/10 (21) Application number: 12152344.3 (22) Date of filing: 24.01.2012 (84) Designated Contracting States: • Bittoni, Stefano AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB I-40139 Bologna (IT) GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO • Fournel, Frederic PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR I-40050 Argelato (BO) (IT) Designated Extension States: BA ME (74) Representative: Karaghiosoff, Giorgio Alessandro (71) Applicant: ALSTOM FERROVIARIA S.P.A. Studio Karaghiosoff e Frizzi S.r.l. 12038 Savigliano (CN) (IT) Via F. Baracca 1R 4° piano 17100 Savona (IT) (72) Inventors: • Guglielmo, Davide I-40131 Bologna (IT) (54) Non trailable switch machine for railroad switches or the like (57) A non trailable switch machine for railroad between "dangerous trailing forces" with potential dam- switches or the like, which switch machine comprises a age to the turnout or its components (superstructure and trailing detecting sensor (11) for measuring at least one switch system), and "non dangerous trailing forces". This physical parameter describing the force exerted by an classification permits to optimize expenses related to cor- action on the switch machine and/or on the points (P1, rective maintenance after trailing events. P2) and or on a movable crossing point and means (24, A "non dangerous trailing" is detected trough a loss 25, 31, 32, 41, 42) for reversibly or irreversibly preventing of detection of the turnout, but the customer operators the operation of the switch machine depending on the are able to recover detection of the turnout from remote values of the said measured al least one physical param- position without inspecting the turnout. eter. A "dangerous trailing" is detected trough a loss of the switch machine is able to classify the trailing forces detection of the turnout, and the only way to recover de- tection of the turnout is to substitute the damaged parts. EP 2 620 347 A1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 620 347 A1 2 Description [0005] The means for detecting and signaling the cor- rect execution of the displacement stroke of the points [0001] Non trailable switch machine for railroad switch- and/or of the movable crossing point from one of the two es or the like. conditions, normal condition or reverse condition to the [0002] The invention relates to a non trailable switch 5 other are normally electric switches which are also driven machine for railroad switches or the like, which switch by at least one part of the stroke of the points and/or of machine comprises: the movable crossing point or by the said initial and ter- minal over-stroke and which electric switches opens or a drive unit for displacing the switch blade points close their contact, thereby generating or modifying a and/or the movable crossing point alternatively form 10 control signal indicating the status of the switch machine one to the other of two end positions, one of which relatively to the correct position of the points also con- positions is called normal position and the other of sidering the driving command sent to the switch machine, said two positions is called reverse position, and in i.e. considering if the position of the points and/or of the which positions each of the two switch blade points movable crossing point is consistent with the said driving is thrown or open relative to the closest rail, in alter- 15 command sent to the driving unit of the switch machine. nation with the other point or the movable crossing [0006] Trailing actions carried out on the switch consist point is closed alternatively on one side or the other in the fact that a force is directly exerted on the switch of the crossing cradle; points due to the passage of the train entering the turnout the driving unit being remotely controlled by means from the movable crossing, which train is coming from of driving signals; 20 the wrong direction respect to the position of the switch. lock/unlock means for locking at least one point When a train entering the turnout from the crossing finds and/or the drive unit in the condition corresponding the turnout with the switch blade and the movable cross- to the said normal or reverse position of the switch ing points in the improper position, the wheels of the train and preventing displacement of the said points due act on the switch points and force them from the prede- to any action exerted on the point and, for unlocking 25 fined - improper - position to the proper position they the said points and/or the said drive unit when the should have. In this situation, a non trailable switch ma- driving unit is activated, allowing the displacement chine may be damaged or not depending on the kind of of the points from the normal to the reverse condition trailing action suffered. of the switch or vice versa; [0007] A train may enter only for a short time and for means for detecting and signaling the condition of 30 a certain pathor distance the switchand thetrailing action the switch following each activation of the driving is short in time and/or the wheels of the train enter the unit, i.e. for detecting and signaling the position of switch only for a certain path not completely pushing the the points and/or of the movable crossing point after points and/or of the movable crossing point in the wrong each displacement from a first position correspond- direction and in contrast to the locking forces of the point ing to the normal or reverse condition of the switch 35 and/or of the movable crossing point due to the locking to the second position corresponding to the reverse mechanism. In this situation the switch has been trailed or normal condition of the switch. but the event was not able to cause a damage of the operating units of the switch. Trailing events are normally [0003] Switch machines of the above kind are known signaled since the detecting and signaling means of the and examples of such switch machines are disclosed in 40 correct position of the points and/or of the movable cross- the following documents of the same applicant: EP ing point will reveal a temporary change in position of the 1594732 or EP 1024988, EP1024987, EP1219521 and points and/or of the movable crossing point and thus of 712772. The said documents show that for a switch ma- the status of the switch which is defined as loss of de- chine it is possible to provide various kinds of driving units tection. When such a temporary trailing event occurs using also different kinds of driving power. One kind is 45 which is accompanied by the said temporary loss of de- provided with an electric motor which rotational motion tection of the position of the blades or of the crossing is transformed in a linear motion which is transmitted to point, the normal operative condition can be retrieved by theblades by meansof a driving rod.Other kinds of switch activating the switch for executing two consecutive machines are driven by means of hydraulic actuators strokes passing from the current normal or reverse con- which actuating rod is mechanically linked directly or by 50 dition to the other condition and back to the starting nor- means of a further driving rod to the points of the switch. mal or reverse condition. After this operation the relation [0004] The locking/unlocking means can also be of dif- between point stroke and/or stroke of the crossing point, ferent kind and these means are driven by an over stroke correct position of the points and/or of the movable cross- of the driving unit and particularly of the driving rod pro- ing point and detection signals of the operative condition vided at the beginning of the driving phase for unlocking 55 of the switch is reestablished and the switch is again per- the points before beginning their displacement and at the fectly operative if the switch machine is still functional in end of the driving phase, after the points has reached correctly displacing the points and/or the movable cross- their end position, for locking the points in this position. ing point in response to a driving command. 2 3 EP 2 620 347 A1 4 [0008] Temporary loss of detection may also be and/or the drive unit in the condition corresponding caused by trailing actions which exerts a high stress on to the said normal or reverse position of the switch the operative units of the switch machine, and which have and preventing displacement of the said points due a high probability of damaging the said operative units. to any action exerted on the point and, for unlocking If the damages do not prevent the switch machine from 5 the said points and/or the said drive unit when the displacing the points and/or the movable crossing point driving unit is activated, allowing the displacement bringing the said points or the said movable crossing of the points from the normal to the reverse condition point till to the correct end positions, a detection of the of the switch or vice versa; switch may be reestablished according to the above de- means for detecting and signaling the condition of scribed procedure and no information will be available 10 the switch following each activation of the driving on the potentially damaged condition of the switch ma- unit, i.e.