Non-powered shunting and track circuit disconnect mechanism for railway switch machine, railway switch machine and railway switching system including same

摘要

A mechanism for use in a railway switch machine includes an elongate contact body having a housing formed from a non-conductive material, a plurality of electrical contact rails disposed in or on the contact body, and a contact block slidably coupled to the contact body such that the contact block can generally freely slide along the contact body. The contact block has a plurality of moveable contacts positioned thereon facing the contact body and is structured to engage a point detector bar of the railway switch machine. The contact block is moveable along the contact body from among: a first position in which a first and second rail of the plurality of contact rails are electrically connected and a third and fourth rail of the plurality of contact rails are electrically connected, and a second position in which only the second and third rails are electrically connected.