The invention relates to a point machine for a rail switch, comprising at least one switching mechanism, designed to transmit at least one switching force onto at least one switch point and at least one switching element, designed to transmit at least one switching force onto the switching mechanism. According to the invention, the at least one switching element is designed to convert a load which is moved by the switching element substantially in a longitudinal direction (L) relative to the switching element to a torque. The invention also relates to a switch point, a point device having said switch point, a rail switch comprising said point device, and a center buffer coupling and to a rail vehicle having said center buffer coupling and to a rail traffic system comprising the rail vehicle and the rail switch.

A monorail switch for a monorail guideway comprises a moveable guide beam having lateral running surfaces and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism, equipped with a counterweight, is operative to move the moveable guide beam from a tangent position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a tangent travelling direction, to a turnout position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a diverting direction. Potential energy stored in the counterweight is released and at least partially stored in the form of elastic potential energy in the lateral running surfaces when the moveable guide beam is moved from the tangent position to the turnout position. Similarly, the elastic potential energy stored in the lateral running surfaces is released and at least partially stored in the form of potential energy by the counterweight when the moveable guide beam is moved from the turnout position to the tangent position.

A monorail switch for a monorail guideway comprises a moveable guide beam having lateral running surfaces and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism, equipped with a counterweight, is operative to move the moveable guide beam from a tangent position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a tangent travelling direction, to a turnout position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a diverting direction. Potential energy stored in the counterweight is released and at least partially stored in the form of elastic potential energy in the lateral running surfaces when the moveable guide beam is moved from the tangent position to the turnout position. Similarly, the elastic potential energy stored in the lateral running surfaces is released and at least partially stored in the form of potential energy by the counterweight when the moveable guide beam is moved from the turnout position to the tangent position.

A handle section has an interior tube slidably received in an exterior tube. A locking mechanism is secured to the exterior tube and includes a cylindrical finger reciprocable between an unlocking position and a locking position to allow for lengthening and shortening. A head is coupled to the interior tube. The head has a central tube formed as an extension of the interior tube. The head has a first wing with a first upper edge extending horizontally across the first wing. The first wing has a first outer edge extending vertically from the first wing parallel with and spaced from the central tube. The first wing has a first lower edge extending in a major arc between the first outer edge and the central tube.

The invention relates to a point machine for a rail switch, comprising at least one switching mechanism, designed to transmit at least one switching force onto at least one switch point and at least one switching element, designed to transmit at least one switching force onto the switching mechanism. According to the invention, the at least one switching element is designed to convert a load which is moved by the switching element substantially in a longitudinal direction (L) relative to the switching element to a torque. The invention also relates to a switch point, a point device having said switch point, a rail switch comprising said point device, and a center buffer coupling and to a rail vehicle having said center buffer coupling and to a rail traffic system comprising the rail vehicle and the rail switch.

A monorail switch for a monorail guideway comprises a moveable guide beam having lateral running surfaces and an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism, equipped with a counterweight, is operative to move the moveable guide beam from a tangent position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a tangent travelling direction, to a turnout position, where the moveable guide beam is aligned with a diverting direction. Potential energy stored in the counterweight is released and at least partially stored in the form of elastic potential energy in the lateral running surfaces when the moveable guide beam is moved from the tangent position to the turnout position. Similarly, the elastic potential energy stored in the lateral running surfaces is released and at least partially stored in the form of potential energy by the counterweight when the moveable guide beam is moved from the turnout position to the tangent position.