Assembly for a turnout

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly for defining a turnout (1) having a main track and a branch track, a turnout including the assembly, and a method for installing the assembly, the assembly comprising at least: an integral structure (2) including a housing having a bottom (211), an upper opening (212), and at least one side wall (213) connecting the bottom (211) and the upper opening (212); a block (31) forming a base rail (3) and located at the wall (213) of the housing (21); a switch rail (4) installed to be movable within the housing, characterized in that the assembly further comprises at least one pad (5) positioned against the bottom (211) of the housing such that the switch rail (4) and / or the base rail (3) are positioned against the pad (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of switches and crossings for track-type vehicles, and more particularly to the field of switches incorporating mechanisms for managing the maintenance of the switches. Background Technology

[0002] Like tracks, turnouts are subjected to conventional stress loads generated by vehicle passage, thermal changes, or environmental degradation, which cause wear on certain surfaces of the turnout. Furthermore, because turnouts are strategically positioned along the tracks to change vehicle direction or at intersections where tracks intersect, specific parts of these turnouts, particularly at the joints between the different components that make up the turnout, are subjected to stress loads that are partly related to the impacts of vehicle wheels. Under these repeated stress loads, the turnouts (and especially the friction surfaces of their individual components) experience continuous wear, requiring both monitoring and regular maintenance of these components, and potentially leading to repair or even replacement.

[0003] In cases of repairing the structure of the block upon which the switch rail slides, the repair is performed on-site and requires the entire section of track including the switch to be out of service. When this structured block is located deep within the switch, repairing the block essentially involves replacing the entire block upon which the switch rail slides. In this situation, removing the section of the switch to be replaced and then installing the new replacement component means undertaking a significant amount of work to achieve this. On-site operations require the entire section of track including the switch to be out of service. Replacing the switch becomes even more complex when a portion of the switch is integrated with the ground through overlay or concrete pouring, meaning that the work requires a longer period of service suspension on that section of track. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by proposing a turnout that allows for easier maintenance and direct field operations to repair or even replace the sliding surface associated with the turnout's switch rail.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention relates to an assembly for a turnout, the turnout defining a main track and a branch track, the assembly comprising at least:

[0006] - An integral structure comprising a shell, the shell being made of at least a bottom end wall located within the integral structure, an upper opening located on the upper surface of the integral structure, and at least one side wall connecting the bottom and the upper opening of the shell.

[0007] - A block that forms the basic track and is located at at least one dedicated portion of the sidewall of the shell.

[0008] - Switch rails, which are installed to be movable within the housing of the integral structure.

[0009] The component is characterized in that it further includes at least one pad positioned against at least a portion of the bottom surface of the housing, such that the upper surface of the pad is positioned facing the upper opening of the housing, and the point rail and / or the block forming the basic rail is positioned against the pad.

[0010] Another subject of the invention is a turnout of the turnout type incorporating components according to the invention.

[0011] Another subject of the present invention is a method for installing a turnout component according to the present invention, characterized in that the method comprises:

[0012] - Steps for selecting a pad of a certain thickness.

[0013] - The step of positioning and installing the selected pad against at least a portion of the bottom surface of the housing of the integral structure.

[0014] - The step of positioning and installing the switch rails and / or the blocks that form the base rails into abutment plates. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The invention will be better understood through the following description of preferred embodiments, which are given by way of non-limiting example and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an example of a component for a turnout according to the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram including a cross-section of an example of a component for a turnout according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram in exploded view form of a key element constituting an example of a turnout assembly according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a component for a turnout according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram with a cross section of a specific construction of the overall structure of the component for a turnout according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This invention relates to an assembly for a turnout 1, the turnout defining a main track 11 and a turnout track 12, the assembly comprising at least:

[0022] - The integral structure 2 includes a shell 21, which is made of at least a bottom end wall 211 located inside the integral structure 2, an upper opening 212 located on the upper surface of the integral structure 2, and at least one side wall 213 connecting the bottom 211 and the upper opening 212 of the shell 21.

[0023] - Block 31, which forms the basic track 3 and is located at at least one dedicated portion of the wall 213 of the housing 21.

[0024] - Switch rail 4, which is installed to be movable within the housing 21 of the integral structure 2,

[0025] The component is characterized in that it further includes at least one pad 5, which is positioned against at least a portion of the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21, such that the upper surface of the pad 5 is positioned facing the upper opening 212 of the housing 21, and the tip rail 4 and / or the block 31 forming the basic rail 3 is positioned against the pad 5.

[0026] Therefore, the assembly for turnout 1 according to the invention comprises an integral structure 2 that forms a support base for supporting and / or positioning the assembly of the invention and its various constituent elements. The support base is thus constructed and designed to contact the ground, for example, via sleepers. The integral structure 2 has an elongated arrangement such that, on the one hand, the main track 11 and the turnout track 12 can be defined at a first end, and on the other hand, the junction of these two tracks can be defined at a second end. The integral structure 2 is arranged to form a housing 21 in which the switch rail 4 is positioned, having the ability to move over a travel distance between two extreme positions. The volume of the housing 21 available for the switch rail 4 is also laterally defined by a base rail 3 in the form of a block 31 located on the sidewall of the housing 21. The base rail 3 has a surface substantially complementary to the surface of the switch rail 4, so as to allow optimized cooperation between the switch rail 4 and the base rail 3 when the switch rail 4 moves to contact the base rail 3. By way of this construction example, the base rail 3 is manufactured in the form of a block 31 mounted and fixed to a portion of the sidewall 213 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2. The block 31 of the basic rail 3 is thus formed as a component structurally independent of the overall structure 2, so that the block 31 forming the basic rail 3 can be disassembled and separated from the overall structure 2. When the block 31 of the basic rail 3 is installed and secured to the rest of the overall structure 2, the basic rail 3 can be positioned to abut against a portion of the upper surface of the pad 5, which is positioned to abut against the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the overall structure 2.

[0027] According to one example of this construction, the integral structure 2 incorporates a block 31 forming the basic rail 3, such that the block 31 is formed as an element structurally integral with the integral structure 2, for example, in the form of a single component. The block 31 thus forms the sidewall 213 of the housing 21, or at least a portion of the sidewall 213, thereby limiting the volume of the housing 21 available for movement of the switch rail 4. It should be noted that the integral structure 2 of the components of the present invention can be manufactured as a single block of material, or alternatively, as a fully welded construction, i.e., multiple components corresponding to different sub-components are assembled inseparable from each other, for example, by welding, to form a single structure.

[0028] The travel of the switch rail 4 is between a first limit position and a second limit position, the first limit position corresponding to the switch rail 4 being positioned against the complementary surface of the base rail 3, and the second limit position corresponding to the position where the surfaces of the switch rail 4 and the base rail 3 are furthest apart. As an example of construction, in a cross-sectional plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the switch rail 4, the integral structure 2 has a U-shaped arrangement, such that, on the one hand, a support base and the bottom 211 of the housing 21 are formed at the bottom, and on the other hand, an upper opening 212 of the housing 21 is formed at the top. When the switch rail 4 is movable within the housing 21, the switch rail 4 moves between the two side walls of the housing 21, while indirectly resting on the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2 via a pad 5. Therefore, the pad 5 is positioned and / or installed within the housing 21 to remain fixed to the integral structure 2. Thus, the upper surface of the pad 5 forms a sliding surface for the lower surface of the switch rail 4 when the switch rail 4 moves. The installation and / or fixation of the pad 5 within the housing 21 of the integral structure 2 is reversible. The pad 5 forms a friction or sliding surface that supports the switch rail 4, but remains removable relative to the bottom of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2. Therefore, in the implementation of the assembly for the turnout 1 according to the present invention, the worn surfaces on the switch rail 4 and the pad 5 can be removed without disassembling the entire switch rail and main rail assembly in the turnout 1. Thus, the implementation is essentially limited to removing only the pad 5, possibly along with the switch rail 4 on the pad 5, allowing for optimization of the duration of the field implementation. Positioning the pad 5 within the housing 21 such that it faces the upper opening 212 of the housing 21 allows an operator to approach the pad from above to separate the pad 5 from its support, which is formed by the bottom of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2.

[0029] Preferably, the width of the pad 5 is limited such that it is at least sufficient to form a surface that supports the switch rail 4 throughout its entire travel within the housing 21. This arrangement prevents wear on the integral structure 2 in the event of repeated movement of the switch rail 4 within the housing 21 or when the switch rail 4 impacts the integral structure 2 as a vehicle passes over it. Since the moving switch rail 4 is supported only by the pad 5, the integral structure 2 will not suffer any damage during operation of the turnout 1. Preferably, in a substantially horizontal plane, the dimensions of the pad 5 are substantially complementary to the surface dimensions of the bottom 211 of the housing 21. Therefore, the pad 5 can be configured to accommodate the main rail 11 and the turnout rail 12.

[0030] According to one example related to an alternative construction of the components of the present invention, the pad 5 is manufactured in the form of a plate. Arranging the pad 5 in the form of a plate allows for an additional thickness between the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 and the lower surface of the switch rail 4 for its sliding. Therefore, this additional thickness between the surface 211 of the integral structure 2 and the switch rail 4 allows for adjustment of the height position of the switch rail 4 within the housing 21 of the integral structure 2. Furthermore, in an example related to a particular alternative construction, the pad 5 is capable of exhibiting a variation in its thickness between each end. This variation in thickness is then designed to compensate for any defects associated with any variation in the height orientation of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 and / or the height of the bottom of the housing 21 used to house the pad 5. This variation in the thickness of the pad 5 can also be used to adjust the height orientation of the basic rail 3 within the housing 21 of the integral structure 2.

[0031] According to one example related to another alternative construction of the components of the present invention, which may be a combination of one or more of the alternative constructions described in detail above, the pad 5 has a shape substantially similar to the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21. This construction allows the pad 5 to have an upper surface that contacts the lower surface of the switch rail 4, and preferably, the opposing surfaces of the pad 5 (i.e., the upper and lower surfaces) are arranged such that they lie more or less in mutually parallel planes. It should be noted that the flatness of one or more of these surfaces of the pad 5 may vary in order to allow for optimized cooperation between these surfaces and, in particular, the opposite locating surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21, or possibly with the lower surface of the switch rail 4 and / or the lower surface of the base rail 3.

[0032] According to one example of an alternative construction of the component relating to the invention, which may be a combination of one or more of the alternative constructions described in detail above, the lower surface of the pad 5 has undulations that adapt to and / or complement at least a portion of the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 against which the surface of the pad 5 abuts. This complementary nature of the shapes of the pad 5 and the bottom of the housing 21 allows, on the one hand, the pad 5 to be guided in its mounting and assembly on the integral structure 2, and on the other hand, forms an interface that helps to hold the pad 5 in place relative to the integral structure 2, particularly by preventing any slippage of the pad 5 relative to the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21.

[0033] In one example of an alternative construction of the component according to the invention, which can be combined with one or more of the alternative constructions described in detail above, the pad 5 is manufactured in the form of at least two juxtaposed elements 51, 52, 53 supported on the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21. These different elements 51, 52, 53 correspond to different independent portions constituting the pad 5, which are arranged and positioned between the bottom 211 of the housing 21 and the lower surface of the switch rail 4, these surfaces being positioned relative to each other to form an optimal distribution of frictional surfaces supporting the switch rail when the switch rail 4 slides. These at least two elements 51, 52, 53 of the pad 5 can be arranged in similar or identical planes while being in direct contact with each other via one of the edges of these elements. Alternatively, these at least two elements 51, 52, 53 of the pad 5 are arranged between the switch rail 4 and the integral structure 2 with a gap between them. The construction of the pad 5 in the form of multiple structurally independent elements 51, 52, 53 allows these elements to be removed and replaced completely independently of each other, so that when performing the operation, only one or more elements 51, 52, 53 in the pad 5 that need to be replaced can be replaced.

[0034] According to one example related to another alternative construction of the component of the present invention, which can be combined with the alternative construction described in detail above, at least two juxtaposed elements 51, 52, 53 of the pad 5 are arranged sequentially along the length of the housing 21. In this alternative construction, the different elements 51, 52, 53 constituting the pad 5 are distributed along the length of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2. This particular distribution of the different sequentially arranged elements 51, 52, 53 thus allows for the formation of various portions of the pad 5, each adapted to a specific stress load experienced by the pad 5 in a clearly defined area of ​​the component of the present invention. The dimensions of each of these different portions 51, 52, 53 of the pad 5, particularly in width, are adapted to the corresponding dimensions of the area of ​​the housing 21 in which these different portions are located. Furthermore, each of these different constitutive elements 51, 52, 53 of the pad 5 can be made of a material particularly adapted to the stress loads and forces that the pad 5 must withstand in each corresponding area of ​​the housing 21.

[0035] According to one example related to another alternative construction of the components of the present invention, this alternative construction may be a combination of one or more of the alternative constructions described in detail above, wherein the pad 5 is held in place by at least one anchoring mechanism 6 abutting against the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21. The anchoring mechanism 6 is configured to interact with the pad 5 on one hand and with a portion of the integral structure 2 on the other hand, such as a specific or dedicated interface of the integral structure 2. As an example, the anchoring mechanism 6 is formed by one or more welds between the pad 5 and the integral structure 2. However, such welds preferably have sufficient strength to withstand displacement of the pad 5 relative to the integral structure, while being small enough that an operator can disconnect these welds without significant difficulty during switch replacement operations. Preferably, the anchoring mechanism 6 is selected to allow the pad 5 to be reversibly secured to the integral structure 2. Thus, such an anchoring mechanism 6 can correspond to a threaded fastening mechanism or a threaded fastening mechanism including threaded components (e.g., bolts). It should be noted that when the pad 5 is manufactured in the form of several separate elements 51, 52, 53 intended to be juxtaposed in the housing 21 of the integral structure 2, each of these different elements is associated with at least one corresponding anchoring mechanism 6.

[0036] According to one example of an alternative construction related to the components of the present invention, which can be combined with the alternative construction described in detail above, the pad 5 includes at least one hole 55 extending through the thickness of the pad 5, the periphery of which is designed to directly or indirectly engage with at least one anchoring device 61 of the anchoring mechanism 6. According to this alternative construction, in the anchoring mechanism 6, the anchoring device 61 includes or is associated with a fixing structure 62, the size of which is larger than the size of the hole 55, thereby preventing movement of the pad 5 along an axis substantially perpendicular to the intermediate plane of the pad 5. As an example of this construction, the fixing structure 62 may correspond to the head of the anchoring device 61, or optionally to a sheet or washer through which the anchoring device 61 passes and is prevented from moving by the head of the anchoring device 61. According to a preferred example of this construction, the upper opening 551 of the hole 55 extending through the thickness of the pad 5 is positioned below the upper surface of the pad 5. Therefore, the upper opening 551 is located in the recessed portion of the upper surface of the pad 5, such that the upper opening 551 of the hole 55 is positioned at a horizontal position within the thickness of the pad 5. In a preferred example of this configuration, positioning the upper opening 551 at a height lower than the height of the upper surface of the pad 5 allows the head of the anchoring device 61 and the fixing structure 62 to be positioned lower than the upper opening 551 of the hole 55 in the pad 5, and these elements of the anchoring mechanism 6 do not impede the movement of the switch rail 4 when it slides against the upper surface of the pad 5, i.e., allow the head of the anchoring device 61 and the fixing structure 62 to be positioned below the upper surface of the pad 5.

[0037] According to one example of an alternative construction related to the components of the present invention, which can be combined with one or more alternative constructions described in detail above, the bottom 211 of the housing 21 includes a cavity 215 capable of cooperating directly or indirectly with at least one anchoring mechanism 6. The cavity 215, located in the bottom 211 of the housing 21, can take the form of a blind hole or a through-hole extending through the thickness of the integral structure 2. As an example of this construction, the cavity 215 is arranged in a slotted configuration along a portion of the length of the integral structure 2, preferably along the entire length of the integral structure 2. Preferably, one or each end of the slotted cavity 215 opens at one end of the integral structure 2, i.e., at one end of the main track 11, the branch track 12, or at a second end where the main track 11 and the branch track 12 intersect. According to one example of this construction, the cavity 215 can be manufactured as a threaded hole, the threaded hole including an inner edge or an inner surface with threads, the pitch of which is complementary to the threads carried by a portion of the anchoring device 61. According to another example of this construction, at least a portion of the upper opening of cavity 215 has a reduced cross-section 216 compared to the main body of cavity 215 or the portion of cavity 215 located below the upper opening, such that the inner edge of the opening of cavity 215 can interact with the fixing structure 63 of the anchoring mechanism 6, wherein the fixing structure 63 is fixed or mounted on the anchoring device 61. According to a particular alternative construction, the reduced cross-section 216 of the upper opening of cavity 215 is formed over most or even the entire length of cavity 215. According to another alternative construction corresponding to the alternative construction of the specific alternative described above, the reduced cross-section 216 of the upper opening of cavity 215 is formed at one or more portions 2151 partially and / or in a point-like arrangement along the entire length of cavity 215, such that outside these portions 2151 of the reduced cross-section 216, the upper opening of cavity 215 has a wide cross-section. In each of these two specific alternative constructions, the fixing structure 63 has a wider dimension than the size of the narrowed section 216 of the upper opening, such that positioning the fixing structure 63 within the body of the cavity 215 allows the fixing structure 63 to interact with the lower surface of the inner edge of the narrowed section 216 of the opening of the cavity 215. The size of the fixing structure 63 is also smaller than the size of the wide section of the upper opening. As an example of the construction, the fixing structure 63 can take the form of a nut, the width of which is greater than the width of the narrowed section 216 of the opening of the cavity 215, and the nut includes a threaded hole with threads on the inner surface of the threaded hole, the pitch of which is complementary to the threads carried by a portion of the anchoring device 61. Mounting the fixing structure 63 onto the anchoring device 61 makes it possible to restrict or even ideally prevent movement of the anchoring device 61 along a generally vertical axis pointing upwards.It should be noted that the upper opening of the cavity 215, comprising one or more portions 2151 with a reduced cross-section 216, allows the fixing structure 63 of the anchoring mechanism 6 to be installed or removed by simple translational insertion from one end of the portion 2151 rather than from one end of the cavity 215. Therefore, this particular alternative construction offers greater ease of use and significant time savings in cases where maintenance operations require replacement of all or part of the anchoring mechanism 6 at a specific location along the slotted arrangement of the cavity 215.

[0038] According to an example of an alternative construction associated with the components of the present invention, which can be combined with one or more alternative constructions described in detail above, at the junction between the sidewall 213 and the bottom 211 of the housing 21, the housing 21 includes at least one groove extending along the depth of the sidewall 213, flush with the bottom 211 of the housing 21, and capable of cooperating with at least a portion of the edge of the pad 5, particularly with the side edge of the pad 5. According to this alternative construction, the side edge of the pad 5 is positioned within a groove whose width is equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the side edge of the pad 5. The edge of the pad 5 is positioned in the groove by positioning the pad 5 against the bottom 211 of the housing 21 and sliding it in a plane substantially corresponding to the bottom 211 of the housing 21. Inserting the edge of the pad 5 into the groove allows the edge of the pad 5 to be restricted and / or its movement to be prevented relative to a component perpendicular to the intermediate plane of the pad 5 or the intermediate plane of the bottom 211 of the housing 21. Preferably, the pad 5 is held in place by a fixing mechanism 6, which restricts or even prevents any sliding and / or lifting of the pad 5 relative to the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21.

[0039] According to one example related to another alternative construction of the components of the present invention, which can be combined with one or more alternative constructions described in detail above, the pad 5 is made of steel with a strength greater than that of the material of the integral structure 2. This strength more specifically relates to the resistance of the steel of the pad 5 to wear caused by friction of the switch rail 4 on the surface of the pad, or to resistance to impacts and / or abrasion caused by vehicles repeatedly passing over the switch rail 4. Thus, the pad 5, being more resistant to friction of the switch rail 4, protects the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2 from friction of the switch rail 4, thereby preventing deterioration of the integral structure 2. Furthermore, stronger steel is generally more expensive. Therefore, manufacturing the pad 5 from stronger steel allows for limiting the amount of expensive material required within the turnout, thereby reducing the cost of constructing the turnout.

[0040] According to one example of an alternative construction of the component of the invention, which can be combined with one or more of the alternative constructions described in detail above, the component also includes a second pad stacked on at least a portion of the surface of the first pad 5. Preferably, the second pad has a substantially similar or identical size to the first pad 5 in a substantially horizontal plane. The first pad 5 and the second pad may differ in their respective thicknesses. This alternative construction particularly makes it possible to adjust the height position of the switch rail 4 relative to the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2. Furthermore, when the pad 5 in contact with the lower surface of the switch rail 4 becomes too worn, the respective positions of the two pads 5 can be interchanged. The pad initially positioned against the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 and not subjected to any wear from friction from the switch rail 4 can then be positioned on top of the worn pad by positioning it between the worn pad and the switch rail 4. The worn pad is then positioned itself between the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2 and the newly placed pad in contact with the switch rail 4.

[0041] According to one example related to another alternative construction of the component of the present invention, this alternative construction can be combined with one or more alternative constructions described in detail above, wherein the base rail 3 and the pad 5 are manufactured as an integral block 31 mounted and fixed to the integral structure 2. Preferably, the block 31 has a substantially L-shaped arrangement in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the central axis of the turnout 1 or the integral structure 2. The pad 5 and the portion forming the base rail 3 meet at the side edge of the pad 5. In this alternative construction, the block 31 is then positioned within the housing 21 of the integral structure 2 such that, on the one hand, the portion forming the pad 5 is positioned, mounted, and fixed such that it rests against the upper surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21, and on the other hand, the portion forming the base rail 3 is mounted and fixed to a portion of the side wall 213 of the housing 21. This alternative construction of the component of the present invention proposes an arrangement in which the elements of the turnout 1 that are susceptible to significant wear (these elements are the base rail 3 and the pad 5) can be removed simultaneously and / or together without removing the integral structure 2 of the turnout 1.

[0042] According to one example of an alternative construction related to the components of the present invention, which may be combined with one or more alternative constructions described in detail above, the pad 5 includes at least one hole opening on its upper surface, and at least one wear indicator 7 indicating surface wear of the pad 5 is incorporated within the depth of the pad 5. Gradual wear of the upper surface of the pad 5 causes the depth of the hole to decrease. Therefore, the wear indicator 7, fixed in position within the hole, gradually moves closer to the upper surface of the pad 5 until the wear indicator becomes flush with the worn upper surface of the pad 5. According to a specific example of this construction, the wear indicator 7 includes a colored layer that is gradually worn away by friction from the lower surface of the switch rail 4 as the indicator 7 becomes flush with the worn upper surface of the pad 5, and provides visual identification of the degree of wear of the pad 5. According to one example of this construction, the hole incorporating the wear indicator 7 is manufactured in the form of a hole 55 extending through the thickness of the pad 5, and the periphery of the hole is designed to cooperate directly or indirectly with at least one anchoring device 61 of the anchoring mechanism 6. The upper surface of the anchoring device 61, positioned within the through-hole, is then associated with at least one wear indicator 7. The wear indicator 7 can be formed by the head of the anchoring device 61, or by a cap or cover positioned above the head of the anchoring device 61.

[0043] The present invention also relates to a turnout 1 comprising at least one component according to the present invention.

[0044] The present invention also relates to a method for installing a component for a turnout 1 according to the present invention, characterized in that the method comprises:

[0045] - The step of selecting a pad 5 with a defined thickness.

[0046] - The step of positioning and installing the selected pad 5 against at least a portion of the surface of the bottom 211 of the housing 21 of the integral structure 2.

[0047] - The step of positioning and installing the switch rail 4 and / or the block 31 that forms the basic rail 3 as abutment plate 5.

[0048] An example of another alternative construction of the component according to the invention, which can be combined with the alternatives described in detail above, further includes positioning and installing the pad 5 by inserting it into the upper opening 212 of the integral structure 2. It should be noted that this particular manner of inserting the pad 5 makes it easier to replace and position the pad 5 within the component of the invention without having to remove it from its operating position or even dismantle the turnout 1.

[0049] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications can still be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, particularly regarding the composition of various elements or by substitution with equivalent techniques.

Claims

1. An assembly for a turnout (1), the turnout defining a main track (11) and a branch track (12), the assembly comprising at least: - An integral structure (2) comprising a shell (21) consisting of at least a bottom end wall (211) located within the integral structure (2), an upper opening (212) located on the upper surface of the integral structure (2), and at least one side wall (213) connecting the bottom (211) of the shell (21) and the upper opening (212). - A block (31) that forms the basic track (3) and is located at at least one dedicated portion of the sidewall (213) of the housing (21). - A switch rail (4), which is mounted to be movable within the housing (21) of the overall structure (2), The component is characterized in that it further includes at least one pad (5) positioned against at least a portion of the surface of the bottom (211) of the housing (21), such that the upper surface of the pad (5) is positioned facing the upper opening (212) of the housing (21), and the tip rail (4) and / or the block (31) forming the basic rail (3) are positioned against the pad (5).

2. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pad (5) is manufactured in the form of a plate.

3. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pad (5) has a shape that is substantially similar to the shape of the surface of the bottom (211) of the housing (21).

4. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pad (5) is manufactured in the form of at least two juxtaposed elements (51, 52, 53) that abut against the surface of the bottom (211) of the housing (21).

5. The component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The at least two juxtaposed elements (51, 52, 53) of the pad (5) are positioned sequentially along the length of the housing (21).

6. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The lower surface of the pad (5) has an undulating portion that is adapted to and / or complementary to at least a portion of the bottom (211) of the housing (21) on which the surface of the pad (5) abuts.

7. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pad (5) is held in place by at least one anchoring mechanism (6) against the surface of the bottom (211) of the housing (21).

8. The component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pad (5) includes at least one hole (55) through the thickness of the pad (5), and the periphery of the hole is designed to cooperate directly or indirectly with at least one anchoring device (61) of the anchoring mechanism (6).

9. The component according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The bottom (211) of the housing (21) includes a cavity (215) that can cooperate directly or indirectly with at least one anchoring mechanism (6).

10. The component according to claim 9, characterized in that, The cavity (215) has a slotted arrangement with an upper opening, the upper opening including a narrowed section (216) at least a portion (2151) of its length, such that, outside the at least a portion (2151) of the upper opening which is the narrowed section (216), the upper opening of the cavity (215) has a wide section, such that, in an axial direction perpendicular to the central axis of the slotted arrangement, at least one fixing structure (63) of the anchoring mechanism (6) is sized to be suitable on the one hand for insertion at the wide section of the upper opening of the cavity (215), and on the other hand for fixing at the narrowed section (216) of the upper opening of the cavity (215).

11. The component according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that, At the junction between the sidewall (213) and the bottom (211) of the housing (21), the housing (21) includes at least one groove that extends along the depth of the sidewall (213), is flush with the bottom (211) of the housing (21), and is capable of cooperating with at least a portion of the edge of the pad (5).

12. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pad (5) is made of steel with a strength greater than that of the overall structure (2).

13. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The component also includes a second pad, which is stacked on at least a portion of the surface of the first pad (5).

14. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The basic rail (3) is manufactured in the form of a block (31), which is mounted and fixed to a portion of the sidewall (213) of the housing (21) of the integral structure (2).

15. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The basic rail (3) and the pad (5) are manufactured as an integral block (31) mounted and fixed on the overall structure (2).

16. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The overall structure (2) incorporates the block (31) that forms the basic track (3), such that the block (31) is formed as an element that is structurally integrated with the overall structure (2).

17. The component according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The pad (5) includes at least one hole that opens at the upper surface of the pad, and at least one wear indicator (7) is incorporated within its depth to indicate wear on the surface of the pad (5).

18. A turnout comprising at least one component for a turnout (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. A method for installing an assembly for a turnout (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, The method includes: - The step of selecting a pad with a defined thickness (5), - The step of positioning and installing the selected pad (5) against at least a portion of the surface of the bottom (211) of the housing (21) of the integral structure (2), - The step of positioning and installing the switch rail (4) and / or the block (31) forming the base rail (3) against the pad (5).

20. The method for installing a component for a turnout according to claim 19, characterized in that, The method further includes positioning and installing the pad (5) by inserting the pad (5) into the upper opening (212) of the integral structure (2).

Images