Railway switch stand and method of modifying the same

Abstract

A method for modifying a railway switch stand is utilized on conventional switch stands having a table mounted on legs above a base plate, a rotatable throw crank having a shaft extending vertically from the base plate through the table, and a handle extending from a yoke which is attached to the throw crank shaft above the table. The first step in modifying the switch stand is to remove the handle and yoke from the throw crank shaft. A housing having gear works therein is mounted to the table and a yoke within the housing is attached to the throw crank shaft. A bevel gear in the gear works is mounted on the yoke for rotation with the shaft, and a pinion gear is mounted in the housing for rotation intermeshed with the first bevel gear. A rotatable wheel-type handle is mounted to the pinion gear so as to enable the switch to be open or throw by rotating the handle and thereby rotating the throw crank shaft. The gears are designed to provide a gear reduction of about four to one so that one full rotation of the wheel will rotate the throw crank shaft approximately 90.degree.. A pivotable arm is provided on the wheel which will engage the lot of a backing plate mounted adjacent the wheel, so as to selectively lock the wheel in a specific position. The method includes the additional step of removing the switch stand table. In this method, the adaptor has the housing and gear works mounted directly on a switch stand table. The replacement table with the adaptor is then mounted on the switch stand legs with bolts, and the adaptor yoke sleeve is connected to the throw crank shaft.