needle operating mechanism

The present invention relates to the field of the railway infrastructure, in particular the operation of points and relates to a needle operating mechanism.
Generally, needles maneuvering of a switch is performed by means of a mechanism comprising a drive motor with a control unit actuating the needles in the direction of a movement to the right or to the left.
Currently, the existing mechanisms have either a motor or hydraulic cylinder mechanical type, a geared motor unit for rod-crank, cam or screw and nut, the engine or the motor-gear unit operating by via the control unit, a control rod consists of two half-bars and performing the translation and timing of the needles. This translation and timing corresponding needles are controlled by means of two other bars, each assigned to a needle connected thereto, said bars being driven by the needles and wedging the latter in position.
Moreover, in these known mechanisms, the control unit also performs the setting of the needles through a spring stabilizing means, whose operation takes place according to the principle of a flip-flop, which has the effect of maintaining alternately the needles in the application position against the rail against corresponding needle. Finally, these mechanisms also have, in most cases, a manual control allowing direct action on the control block and lock.
These existing mechanisms can usually perform a correct and reliable operation of needles.
The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a needle operating mechanism to ensure simultaneous and independent maneuvering and rigging needles.
To this end, the invention relates to a needle operating mechanism, comprising an actuator control assembly actuates two control half-bars of needles, each connected to a needle by a needle positioning device and a manual control connected to the set of actuator control, characterized in that ractionnement of two control half-bars of needles by the set of actuator control is effected by means of rotary drive devices affected cam each half a bar maneuver and in that the needles of the wedging device is a device independent of the operating half-bars of needles and controlled by the set of actuator control.
The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a top view, on a larger scale, of the entire actuator control, rotary drives of the operating half-bars and needles wedging device, and
Figure 3 is a view in perspective, also on a larger scale, showing the rotary drive of the operating half-bars devices.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a needle operating mechanism having a cylinder assembly 1 control actuates two half-bars 2 maneuver needles (not shown), each connected to a needle, by a device 3 wedging needles and by a manual control 4 is connected to the assembly 1 actuator control.
According to the invention, actuation of the two half-bars 2 maneuver needle assembly 1 by the control cylinder is effected by means of rotary drive devices to cam 5 each assigned to a half-bar maneuver 2 and the device 3 needles wedging is an independent device of the half-bars 2 maneuver needle and controlled by the actuator control assembly 1.
Each rotary device cam drive 5 assigned to a half control bar 2 is constituted by a stack, on a vertical shaft 6, a first cam disc 7 which cooperates with all one actuator control device 3 and the timing of the needles, for wedging in position the latter, by a second cam disc 8 cooperating with the first cam disc 7 and the device 3 for setting the hands, for the release of calibration in the position of said needles, by a spring stabilizing means 9 acting with one end on the second cam disc 8 and pivotally mounted in the casing 10 housing the mechanism, and a control lever 40 of the half-bar 2 to maneuver the needle, also secured in rotation with the vertical shaft 6.
As apparent from the accompanying drawings, the driving devices 5 are identical and mounted symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the one actuator control, to achieve the movement and timing to the right or left of perfectly synchronously and positioning of needles.
The first cam disc 7 is rotatably mounted on the vertical shaft 6 and cooperates, on one hand, with all one control cylinder via a first drive pin 11 engaged in a 12 corresponding drive groove of a slider 13 secured to the cylinder the of the assembly 1 and, secondly, with the second cam disc 8 by means of a second drive pin 14, integral with said first cam disc 7 and engaging in a corresponding curvilinear groove 15 of said second cam plate 8. Thus, the first cam disc 7 which is rotated by the slide 13 of the cylinder the of the assembly 1 at the translational movement of the latter, drives each second cam disc 8 rotated and thereby the vertical shaft 6 integral with the second cam disc 8, through the second drive pin 14 engaged in the curvilinear groove 15.
The stabilizing means to Ressor t 9 is provided at its end acting on the second cam disc 8 of a drive shaft 16 passing through a corresponding bearing of said second cam disc 8, its opposite end being pivotally mounted in a bearing 17 of the housing 10. A such spring stabilizing means operates according to the principle of a toggle joint, that is to say it has two stable end positions of pivoting, in which it keeps the second cam disk 8.
the control lever 40 the half-bar 2 to maneuver the needle, which is integral in rotation with the vertical shaft 6, is mounted on the latter by one end and is provided, towards its opposite end, an oblong groove 18 of housing a support 19 for a roll 20 adjustable in position. The roller 20 cooperates with an end 21 of the half-bar 2 maneuvering of the needle by the intermediate plate with an oblong guide 22 of the plate 21 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the half -barre 2. Thus, upon rotation of the vertical shaft 6, the lever 40 for controlling the half-bar 2 to maneuver the needle is driven in the same direction of rotation by said shaft 6 and the roller 20 , housed in the elongate guide 22 of the plate 21, drives the latter in a translational movement along the longitudinal axis of the half-bar 2 having the effect a corresponding displacement of the latter and therefore of the needle connected thereto . Due to the possibility of adjusting the position of the roller 20, the stroke of the needle to maneuver can be easily adjusted.
The device 3 needles wedging is formed by two independent sets each assigned to a needle and each constituted by at least one half-bar 30 connected at one end to the corresponding needle which is guided in the casing 10 and provided at its other end a stop 31 by a wedge 32 intended to cooperate, in the application position of the corresponding needle against the rail, with the abutment 31 and integral with a slide 33 guided in a support 34 fixed in the housing 10 of accommodation of the mechanism, the slide 33 cooperating at one end, with the first and second cam disks 7 and 8, via, respectively, a roller 35 and a locking shaft 36 coaxial with the roller 35, and at its other end with a complementary locking means 300, a return spring 38 housed in the support 34 applying the slide 33 against said cam discs 7 and 8. the half-bar 30 connected to the corresponding needle e is thus moved therewith, so that its abutment 31 moves in the same direction and can be clamped, in the application position of the needle against the corresponding rail, as will be described later.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the second cam disc 8 is advantageously provided, on its edge facing the locking shaft 36 of the slide 33, housing 8 'locking the coaxial locking shaft 36 in the locking position of the half-bar 30 by pressing of the wedge 32 against the corresponding face of the abutment 31 when the corresponding needle is pressed against the rail. Moreover, the first cam disc 7 is provided on its edge with two identical cams 7 ', disposed symmetrically relative to the radius passing through the axis of the second drive pin 14 and intended to cooperate with the roller 35 of the slide 33 for release of the coaxial locking shaft 36 from the housing 8 ', before a timing maneuver or for a wedging unlocking.
According to another characteristic of the invention, in the extreme operating position corresponding to a calibration position of the needle by abutment of the stop 31 of the half-bar 30 against the shim 32 of the slider 33, the second spindle drive 14 of the first cam disc 7 is positioned in the curved groove 15 of the second cam disc 8 at one end thereof, such that the beginning of the rotational movement of the first cam disc 7 is carried out without driving of the second cam disc 8, the second drive pin 14 moving in the curvilinear groove 15.
Thus, upon movement of the slider 13 of the cylinder the of the assembly 1, the roller 35 of the slider 33 is requested, from the start of rotation of the first cam disc 7, the cam 7 'of the latter and is moved against the action of the return spring 38 of the slider 33. because the coaxial locking shaft 36 affected the second disqu e cam 8 is axially aligned with the roller 35 and thus integral in translation with the latter, this initial movement has the effect of extracting said coaxial locking shaft 36 from the housing 8 'of the second cam disc 8, during the single rotation of the first cam disc 7, in which the second drive branch 14 moves in the curved groove 15. When the pin 14 reaches the opposite end of the curved groove 15, the second cam disc 8 is rotated and the spring stabilizing means 9 is urged simultaneously by said second cam plate 8.
the spring constituting the means 9 is then first compressed during initial movement in which it pivots in the bearing 17 of the housing 10 , until it reaches the point of unstable equilibrium, from which it pivots in the opposite direction by driving the second cam disc 8. Following the latter pivoting, the second cam disc 8 rotates faster than the first cam disc 7, the drive is no longer effected by the second drive pin 14 of the first cam disc 7, this under the effect of spring means 9, and the second spindle of drive 14 circulates freely in the curved groove 15, while the second cam disc 8 is tilted into a latching position of the coaxial locking shaft 36 in the housing 8 (chocking device 3 of the lower part of FIG 2). These positions indicated in particular in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings but also in Figure 3, wherein the arrangement of the positioning device 3 and the stabilizing spring means 9 is represented simply inverted with respect to that of Figure 2.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the complementary locking means 300 of the device 3 needles wedging consists, for each independent set assigned to a needle, a lever 301 pivotally mounted in the casing 10 of the mechanism and actuated by means of a link 302 pivotally mounted by its end opposite that in association with the lever 301 of a slide member 303 movably guided parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder the cylinder of the assembly 1 control on a guide support 304 secured to the support 34 for guiding the slider 33, and means 305 for driving in displacement the slider 303 secured to the cylinder the cylinder of the control unit 1, the lever 301 being applied in the end positions of operation of the needles, by its free end on the slider 33, at the opposite end to that carrying roller 35 and the coaxial locking shaft 36.
As shown in figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, the complementary locking means of each independent set is formed by elements having identical functions but for some of them, a different constitution.
Thus, according to one feature of the invention, for one of the sets of the complementary locking means 300, the lever 301 is articulated in the housing 10 by a pin passing through the distance of its two ends, the connecting rod 302 being hinged to said lever 301 at its end opposite to that for operating the slider 33 while the slider 303 is in the form of a single slider, against which the drive means 305 integral with the cylinder the of the cylinder assembly 1 in order to lock in the operating position of the slide 33, the reverse movement of said slide member 303 is simply performed due to the tilting of the lever 301 as a result of displacement of the slider 33, when the mean drive 305 is disengaged from its support on said slide member 303. This embodiment corresponds to that shown in the lower part of Figure 2 and the upper part of Figure 3.
In the other set of complementary locking means 300, the lever 301 is articulated in the housing 10 by a shaft extending therethrough at one end, the connecting rod 302 being hinged to said lever 301 away from its two ends, while the slider 303 is in the form of a slide provided with a curved trainer 303 'cooperates by shape with the drive means 305 integral with the cylinder the of the control assembly 1 cylinder for movement to an unlocking position of the slider 33 (shown in figures 2 and 3), or to a locking position of said slide 33.
preferably, the drive means 305 integral with the cylinder 1 'of the assembly cylinder 1 control is formed by two identical rollers mounted on either side of the cylinder the parallel to its longitudinal axis and with a gap between them in the direction of the longitudinal axis (see Figure 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings). It is clear by considering Figure 2, that as regards the complementary locking means 300, represented in the upper part of Figure 2, actuation of the lever 301 is made directly in the same direction as the movement of the cylinder the drive means and 305.
the complementary locking means 300 provides an additional safety as regards the setting of the needle in the operative position, because it ensures the positioning of the coaxial locking shaft 36 in the housing 8 ', even in the case where the return spring 38 fitted to the slide 33 is deteriorated or destroyed due to fatigue or other mechanical incident.
The mechanism according to the invention operates as follows:
During actuation of the cylinder the cylinder of the control assembly 1, the slider 13 secured to the cylinder the causes by its drive grooves 12, the first drive pin 11 of the first cam plate 7. initially, only the cam disc 7 rotates on the vertical shaft 6, the second drive pin 14 freely moving in the curved groove 15 of the second disc cam 8. During this initial movement, as already explained above, the cam 7 'of the first cam disc 7, located opposite the roller 35 of the slide 33 moves cedit roller 35 against the action of the return spring 38 of the slide 33 in the sense of a clearance of the coaxial locking shaft 36 from the housing 8 'of the second cam disc 8.
by this movement of the slide 33, the corresponding wedge 32 is released out of the straight path of the stop 31 mounted the half -barre 30 assigned to the corresponding needle, so that the displacement of the half-bar 30 is made possible. During this initial phase, the second drive pin 14 of the first cam plate 7 moves in the curved groove 15 of the second cam disc 8, without driving the latter, so that the needles remain stationary.
When the second drive pin 14 reaches the end of free travel in the curvilinear groove 15, that is to say between abutting with the end of this groove, the second cam disc 8 is rotated and with him the vertical shaft 6, which then rotates the lever 40 for controlling the half-bar 2 to maneuver the needle and moves the latter towards its closed position or towards its open position.
When, during this rotation, the spring stabilizing means 9 exceeds its unstable equilibrium position, it causes a rapid rotational movement of the second cam disc 8, which thus catches rotating the first cam disc 7 due to the cooperation of the second drive pin 14 of first disc 7 with the curved groove 15 of the second disc 8. This rapid rotation causes the closing of one of the needles in contact with the rail against corresponding needle, and a corresponding movement of the corresponding half-bar 30 of the positioning device 3. in addition, the second disc 8 is moved in the engagement position of the coaxial locking shaft 36 in the housing 8 ', which has the effect that the slide bearing performs a movement as up the wedge 32, which it is provided, behind the stop 31 fitted to the corresponding half-bar 30 of the needle against applied against the stock rail and PREVENTED che and any reverse movement of said half-bar.
During the subsequent final movement of the ram the cylinder of the control assembly 1, the first cam disc 7 drives the second cam disc 8 until perfect correspondence of the coaxial locking shaft 36 with the bottom of housing 8 'and the drive means 305 integral with the cylinder the cylinder of the assembly 1 to command causes the slide member 303 in the direction of a movement of the lever 301 allowing the locking in position of the slider 33, which the coaxial locking shaft 36 is positioned in the housing 8 'of the first cam disk 8.
with the invention it is possible to realize a needle operating mechanism, wherein all movements for actuating the half -Bars needles commands are carried out by rotation or by rotation, all the internal movements of the mechanisms being, moreover, independent from the stroke of the needles. The latter is set in the final stage, when they are closer to the needle, reducing accordingly the influence of internal games, especially fatigue, over a long period.
In addition, the mechanism according to the invention has a quasi-total construction symmetry permitting the use for operation and the timing of each needle a maximum of identical parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and simplifies maintenance . Moreover, regarding the latter, the access mechanism is facilitated and all the constituent parts thereof are perfectly accessible visually maintenance personnel, no layer of functional elements being inaccessible.

CLAIMS

1. needle operating mechanism comprising an assembly (1) of cylinder actuates two half-bars (2) command for maneuver of needles, each connected to a needle, by means (3) of needles and by wedging a manual control (4) connected to the assembly (1) to actuator control, characterized in that the actuation of the two half-bars (2) maneuvering the needles by the assembly (1) actuator control is performed via rotary cam drive devices (5) each assigned to a single bar of operation (2) and in that the device (3) of needles of the wedge is a device independent of the half-bars ( 2) maneuvering the needle and controlled by the set of actuator control (1).
2. Mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that each rotating device cam drive (5) associated with a half-bar operation (2) is constituted by a stack, on a vertical shaft (6), d a first cam disc (7) cooperating with the assembly (1) cylinder and with the control device (3) timing of the needles, for wedging in position of the latter, by a second cam disc (8 ) cooperating with the first cam disc (7) and the device (3) timing of the needles, for the release of the wedging in position of said needles, by spring stabilizing means (9) acting with one end on the second cam disc (8) and mounted pivotably in the housing (10) of the mechanism housing, and a lever (40) the half-bar control (2) for maneuvering the needle, also secured in rotation with the vertical shaft (6).
3. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 and

2, characterized in that the drive devices (5) are identical and mounted symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the assembly (1) actuator control.
4. Mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the first cam disc (7) is rotatably mounted on the vertical shaft (6) and cooperates, on the one hand, with the assembly (1) of actuator control via a first drive pin (11) engaged with a drive groove (12) of a corresponding slide (13) integral with the cylinder (! ') of the assembly (1) jack control and, secondly, with the second cam disc (8) by means of a second drive spindle (14) integral with said first cam disc (7) and engaging in a groove corresponding curvilinear (15) of said second cam disc (8).
5. Mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that said spring stabilizing means (9) is provided at its end acting on the second cam disc (8) of a drive shaft (16) passing through a bearing matching said second cam disc (8), its opposite end being pivotally mounted in a bearing (17) of the housing (10).
6. Mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the lever (40) the half-bar control (2) for maneuvering the needle, which is integral in rotation with the vertical shaft (6) is mounted on the latter by one end and is provided, towards its opposite end, an oblong groove (18) housing a support (19) of a roller (20) adjustable in position.
7. Mechanism according to any one of claims 2 and 6, characterized in that the roller (20) cooperates with an end plate (21) of the half-bar (2) maneuvering the needle by via an elongate guide (22) of said platen (21), extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the half-bar (2).
8. Mechanism according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the device (3) timing of the needles, which is controlled by the assembly (1) to actuator control is formed by two independent sets assigned to each needle and each constituted by at least one half-bar (30) connected at one end to the corresponding needle guided in the housing (10) and provided at its other end with a stop (31), by a wedge (32) intended to cooperate, in the application position of the corresponding needle against the rail, with the abutment (31) and integral with a slide (33) guided in a support (34) fixed in the housing (10 ) housing of the mechanism, said slider (33) cooperating, at one end, with the first and second cam discs (7 and 8) via respectively a roller (35) and a shaft setting (36) coaxial to the roller (35) and at its other end with a locking means comple silent (300), a return spring (38) housed in the support (34) applying the slider (33) against said cam discs (7 and 8).

9. Mechanism according to any one of claims 2 and 8, characterized in that the second cam disc (8) is provided on its side edge toward the coaxial locking shaft (36) of the slider (33) a housing (8 ') locking the coaxial locking shaft (36) in the locking position of the half-bar (30) with support of the wedge (32) against the corresponding face of the stop (31) when the corresponding needle is pressed against the rail.
10. Mechanism according to any one of claims 2 and 8, characterized in that the first cam disc (7) is provided on its edge with two identical cams (7 1 ), symmetrically arranged relative to the radius passing through the axis of the second drive spindle (14) and intended to cooperate with the roller (35) of the slider (33) for release of the coaxial locking shaft (36) outside the housing (8 '), before a operating timing or a timing unlocking.
11. Mechanism according to any one of claims 2 and 8 to 10, characterized in that, in the extreme operating position corresponding to a calibration position of the needle by abutment of the abutment (31) of the half -barre (30) against the shim (32) of the slider (33), the second drive spindle (14) of the first cam disc (7) is positioned in the curvilinear groove (15) of the second cam disc (8 ) at one end thereof, such that the beginning of the rotational movement of the first cam disc (7) is carried out without driving of the second cam disc (8), the second drive spindle (14) moving in the curvilinear groove (15).
12. Mechanism according to any one of claims 2,

8 and 9, characterized in that the complementary locking means (300) of the device (3) timing of the needles consists, for each independent set assigned to a needle, a lever (301) pivotally mounted in the housing (10 ) of the mechanism and operated via a link (302) pivotally mounted by its end opposite that in association with the lever (301) on a sliding member (303) displaceably guided, parallel to the axis longitudinal cylinder (1 ') of the assembly (1) control cylinder on a guide bracket (304) secured to the support (34) for guiding the slider (33), and means (305) of traveling drive of the sliding element (303) integral with the jack (V) of the assembly (1) of actuator control, the lever (301) being applied in the end positions of operation of the needles, with its free end , on the slide (33) at the opposite end to that carrying the ga let (35) and the coaxial locking shaft (36).
13. Mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that for one of the sets of the complementary locking means (300), the lever (301) is hinged in the housing (10) by a distance axis crossing its two ends, the link (302) being articulated on said lever (301) at its end opposite to that for operating the slide (33), whereas the slider (303) is in the form of a simple slide against which the drive means is based (305) integral with the cylinder the of the assembly (1) of actuator control for locking the slide in the operating position (33), the reverse movement of said slide member (303) is simply performed due to tilting of the lever (301) under the effect of displacement of the slide (33) when the drive means (305) is disengaged from its support on said sliding member (303).
14. Mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that for the other set of complementary locking means (300), the lever (301) is hinged in the housing (10) with an axis through the one end, the link (302) being articulated on said lever (301) remote from its two ends, while the sliding element (303) is in the form of a slide provided with a curved carrier (303 ') cooperating by shape with the drive means (305) integral with the jack (V) of the assembly (1) of actuator control for movement to a slider releasing position (33), or to a locking position of said slide (33 ).
15. Mechanism according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the drive means (305) integral with the jack (V) of the assembly (1) actuator control consists of two identical rollers mounted on either side of the jack (V), parallel to its longitudinal axis and with a gap between them in the direction of the longitudinal axis.