EP0365450B2 - Crossing with a movable point, and method for manufacturing such a crossing - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a crossing block with a mobile point (1) for railway devices of very great length incorporated into the long welded rails, said crossing block comprising moreover a cradle (2) made of two elements (3 and 4), one cast and the other non-cast and a method for manufacturing such a crossing block. <??>Crossing block characterised in that the element (3) is made of cast steel, of which at least the two ends (3A and 3B) on the nose side and the two ends (3C and 3D) on the switch end side are shaped like a rail section, only the rail section of the two ends (3A and 3B), however, serving effectively for running, the non-cast element (4) being mainly constituted by pieces (5 and 5') which are made as a whole as rails and connected to the two ends (3C and 3D) on the switch end side of the cast piece (3), neither the rail section of the two ends (3C and 3D) nor the rail section of the pieces (5 and 5'), however, serving effectively as running surface, the mobile point (1) itself being made as a whole as rails, of which all the upper surfaces serve effectively as running surface. <IMAGE>

Description

The subject of the present invention is a crossing point with movable point for very long railroad tracks incorporated in the long welded rails, said crossing point further comprising in particular a cradle in two elements, and a manufacturing method. of such a crossing heart.

We know that the increase in speed on railways, which today currently reaches 270 km / h and will soon reach 300 km / h, or even higher speeds, leads to the creation of very long track devices to ensure very high deflection speeds, of the order of 170 km / h to 220 km / h, or even more.

In these very long track devices, the crossings also have very long lengths and, at these speeds, it is known that it is preferable to use crossing hearts with a moving point, more comfortable than the hearts. of fixed point crossing, in which the counter-rails are at the origin of the axle returns of the vehicles, difficult to bear.

It is true that, for many years, crossing hearts with movable points have been built, but current constructions are not fully satisfactory.

• le berceau, dans lequel la pointe mobile est fixée en talon et dans lequel elle se déplace lorsqu'elle est manoeuvrée;
• la pointe mobile proprement dite.

The moving point crossing hearts generally have two basic elements:

• the cradle, in which the movable point is fixed in the heel and in which it moves when it is maneuvered;
• the movable tip proper.

The cradle is necessarily composed of several elements, because their respective length is limited by the current level of manufacturing means. One is therefore constrained, to carry out the desired construction, to manufacture several elements, then to assemble them to form the cradle. As it is impossible, for constructive reasons, notably linked to a lack of space, to carry out this assembly by a conventional jointing which would keep the elements of the cradle inside and outside, an assembly is used by C-shaped pieces placed outside the elements of the cradle.

One assembly is described in the publication RAIL INTERNATIONAL. flight. 18 No. 14, January 1983, pages 18, 20-25, Brussels, BE; J. OECONOMOS. But such an assembly does not have the qualities of a jointing and even less the qualities of a weld, and whatever the care taken in the production of these C-shaped parts and in their assembly, this assembly will necessarily present to term, holding difficulties.

Document AT-A-343711 also discloses a crossing point with a movable point in which the cradle is composed of two elements, said two elements being connected together by welding. However, such a weld has drawbacks, in particular when it is stressed by the rolling forces combined with the expansion constraints of the long welded rails.

Furthermore, in the present invention the movable point, made of machined and assembled rails, is anchored in its heel in one of the elements of the cradle, in the manner of a console embedded in a wall.

Its flexibility allows it to rest on one of the tip elements of the cradle, in the right or left position, when it is operated by appropriate devices.

Due to the incorporation of these devices in the long welded rails, that is to say their connection to the framing rails, without expansion device, the anchoring of the movable point must ensure - in addition to the role of embedding from the console - a transfer of compression or tensile forces from each long welded rail from the movable point to the cradle.

Conventionally, the transfer of such forces is carried out by fishplates glued to the rail and to the core.

However, when a molded cradle element is used, the bonding of the parts making it possible to anchor the point in the cradle is certainly achievable on the movable point side, where there is a shape rail, but is not feasible on the cradle side due to its rigid box shape.

It is therefore necessary, to ensure the transfer of forces, to use a mechanical assembly, the production of which requires a great deal of precision in order to reduce the clearances and meet the constraints of incorporation into long welded rails.

This is the case in document AT-A-343711 where the connection between the moving point and the unmolded element is carried out by bolted spacers on the point side and on the cradle side.

Such an assembly indeed allows easy disassembly of the different parts forming the heart and, in particular, the movable tip in the event of damage or wear. For this purpose, once all the mechanical assemblies have been dismantled, both at the level of the spacers and at the level of the rails, the tip can be removed and replaced.

However, such a construction is completely incapable of absorbing the very significant compression or tensile forces of the long rails welded to the movable point on the cradle.

We therefore find ourselves, in the current construction, in the presence of two mechanical adjustments which are difficult to carry out, which are liable to deteriorate in service and thus having a harmful impact on the life of the product.

The general problem to be solved by the object of the present invention therefore consists in designing and manufacturing a crossing point with a movable point in which the drawbacks linked to these two mechanical assemblies are eliminated.

To this end, the subject of the present invention is a crossing point with a movable point for very long railroad tracks incorporated in the long welded rails, comprising, in addition, in particular a cradle in two elements, the first element, produced in molded steel, and the second element, made of non-molded parts, being interconnected in a non-separable manner by welding or glued jointing, the non-molded element mainly consisting of parts made entirely of rails and connected at both ends on the heel side of the molded element, crossing core characterized in that the movable point is also connected to the non-molded element in a non-separable manner by glued jointing, the two ends on the point side and the two ends on the heel side of the molded element being shaped rail profile, but only the rail profile of the two ends on the tip side actually used for bearing, neither the rail profile of the two ends on the heel side nor the rail profile of the parts effectively serving as a rolling surface, the movable point being, in turn, made entirely of rails, all the upper faces of which effectively serve as the rolling.

• la figure 1 est une vue de dessus d'un coeur de croisement à pointe mobile, conforme à l'invention, ladite pointe étant située à droite ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de face et en coupe, selon la ligne A-A de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de face et en coupe, selon la ligne B-B de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de face et en coupe, selon la ligne C-C de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus du coeur de croisement représenté figure 1, la pointe étant située à gauche, et où les deux pièces appartenant à l'élément non moulé et réalisées en rails sont en position écartée ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de face, à plus grande échelle, d'un mode de liaison de l'élément moulé avec une pièce réalisée en profil de rail, appartenant à l'élément non moulé, et
• la figure 7 est une vue de face et en coupe, à plus grande échelle, selon la ligne D-D de la figure 6.

The invention will be better understood from the description below, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of nonlimiting example, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a top view of a crossing point with movable tip, according to the invention, said tip being located on the right;
• Figure 2 is a front view in section, along the line AA of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a front view in section, along the line BB of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a front view in section along the line CC of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is a top view of the crossing core shown in Figure 1, the tip being located on the left, and where the two parts belonging to the non-molded element and produced in rails are in the separated position;
• FIG. 6 is a front view, on a larger scale, of a mode of connection of the molded element with a part produced in rail profile, belonging to the non-molded element, and
• FIG. 7 is a front view and in section, on a larger scale, along the line DD of FIG. 6.

According to the invention, and as shown in Figures 1 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, the crossing point with movable point 1 for very long railroad tracks incorporated in the long welded rails, further comprises in particular a cradle 2 in two elements 3 and 4, one 3 made of cast steel, and the other 4 made of non-molded parts. The two ends 3A and 3B on the toe side and the two ends 3C and 3D on the heel side are shaped as a rail profile, but only the rail profile of the two ends 3A and 3B is actually used for rolling, the non-molded element 4 being mainly constituted of parts 5 and 5 ′ produced entirely in rails and connected to the two ends 3C and 3D on the heel side of the molded element 3, but neither the rail profile of the two ends 3C and 3D, nor the rail profile of parts 5 and 5 'effectively serving as a rolling surface, the movable tip 1 being, for its part, made entirely of rails, all the upper faces of which effectively serve as a rolling surface.

According to the invention, the non-molded element 4 mainly consists of parts 5 and 5 ′ made entirely of rails and connected by welding or by splicing bonded to the two ends 3C and 3D on the heel side of the molded element 3 (see figures 1 and 5 of the accompanying drawings).

According to a characteristic of the invention, the molded element 3 advantageously has all of its upper faces shaped as a rolling file.

It should be noted that a method is known for assembling by electrical welding crossing hearts made of austenitic hard manganese steel and rails made of carbon steel, by connecting them end to end, by means of a intermediate piece made of low carbon austenitic steel.

Thus, according to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the molded element 3 is made of austenitic manganese steel, the movable tip 1 and the parts 5 and 5 'being constituted by rails made of carbon steel.

It will therefore be possible to carry out the electrical welds, from the ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 to the running rails 7 of the intermediate connection path using this known method. An intermediate piece made of austenitic steel will therefore be interposed between the ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 and the running rails 7.

According to another characteristic of the invention, and as shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, the parts 5 and 5 'in rail profile are two in number and are connected by gluing to the rails forming the movable point 1 by l 'intermediate of two spacers 8 and 8' in fishplate profile.

As a result, the heel recess of the movable point 1 produced by the spacers 8 and 8 'glued, on the one hand, to the rails constituting the movable point 1 and, on the other hand, to the parts 5 and 5' of the non-molded element 4 avoids the need for mechanical assembly and thus eliminates all the drawbacks associated with the use of such an assembly, in particular the longitudinal play.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4 of the appended drawings, the parts 5 and 5 ′ are secured, and the non-molded element 4 stiffened by means of plates 6.

The non-molded element 4, consisting of parts 5 and 5 'fixed to the ends 3C and 3D of the molded element 3 and rigidly connected by plates 6 therefore forms, with said molded element 3, a cradle 2 whose length n' is more limited by foundry constraints.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the rails of the parts 5 and 5 ′ and of the movable tip can, for example, advantageously have a height of 172 mm.

Furthermore, according to a first variant, each piece 5 and 5 ′ as well as the movable tip 1 could, for example, advantageously consist of a rail of profile UIC A74. As regards the movable tip 1, such a needle rail makes it possible to give it significant vertical inertia.

However, it is also possible, according to a second variant, that each piece 5 or 5 ′ may, for example, advantageously consist of a rail of profile UIC 60, and the movable tip 1 of a needle rail of profile UIC A 74 , which also gives it a high vertical inertia.

The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a crossing point with a moving point 1.

According to the invention, and according to a first embodiment, the method of manufacturing a crossing point with a moving point essentially consists in welding, on the point side, the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 to the running rails 7 of the intermediate way of connection, and to be fixed on the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 of parts 5 and 5 'belonging to the non-molded element 4 of cradle 2, then to move said parts 5 and 5' from their initial position towards the 'outside and keep them in the separated position, insert between these parts 5 and 5' the movable tip 1, release the parts 5 and 5 'so that they return to their initial position, then fix the parts 5 and 5' at the movable point inserted between them, at stiffening the non-molded element 4, and finally at welding, if necessary, on the heel side, the movable point 1 to the running rails 9.

The manufacturing process takes place mainly as described below.

First, the tip side is welded to the molded element 3 from the cradle 2 to the running rails 7 of the intermediate connection path, as well as the two parts 5 and 5 ′, produced in rails, each in one 5A , 5'A of its two ends on one of the two ends 3C and 3D, heel side, also in rail profile, of the molded element 3. Each part 5 and 5 'consists of a rail to precisely allow welding with both ends 3C and 3D also in rail profile.

Then the molded element 3 is placed with its two parts 5 and 5 ′ and its two welded running rails 7, on an assembly table.

As shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings, the parts 5 and 5 ′ are then moved away from their initial position towards the outside, the parts 5 and 5 ′ being flexible from the zone of welding with the molded element 3.

The parts 5 and 5 ′ are then kept in the separated position (see FIG. 5) and the movable point 1 is lowered which is inserted into the cradle 2 formed by the elements 3 and 4, between the two parts 5 and 5 ′ spread position. The movable point 1 is made of welded and assembled rails and is previously provided with two mounting spacers 8 and 8 'which are fixed there by gluing. Then, the two parts 5 and 5 ′ are released to fix them to the spacers 8 and 8 ′ of the movable point by glued jointing.

Then plates 6 are fixed under the unmolded element 4, so as to secure the parts 5 and 5 'and thus to stiffen the unmolded element 4.

Finally, we descend the crossing core thus manufactured from the assembly table.

Subsequently, it will be possible, if necessary prior to mounting on the site, to weld the two ends 1B and 1C of the movable tip 1, opposite the pointed end 1A itself and shaped in a running file to the running rails 9.

On the site, such a crossing core can then be fixed to the sleepers and connected to the rails of the railway.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the welding, on the one hand, of the two ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 to the running rails 7 of the intermediate connection path and, on the other hand, of the two ends 5A, 5'A of the two parts 5 and 5 'at the two ends 3C and 3D of the molded element 3 is of the electrical type.

It will be possible to carry out, as indicated previously, the electrical welds, on the one hand, of the ends 5A and 5'A of the parts 5 and 5 'at the ends 3C and 3D of the molded element 3 and, on the other hand, of the ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 to the running rails 7 of the intermediate connection path using the known method. An intermediate part made of austenitic steel will therefore be interposed, on the one hand, between the ends 5A and 5'A of the parts 5 and 5 'and the ends 3C and 3D of the molded element 3 and, on the other hand, between the ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 and the running rails 7.

However, it is known, moreover, that the connection by welding of two rails to one another has the main advantage of eliminating the presence of a joint, this joint being detrimental to the strength of the railway track under the effect of the impact of wheels on the surfaces of the rails ensuring the rolling. However, in the crossing core, object of the present invention, the two parts 5 and 5 'belonging to the non-molded element 4 of the cradle 2 and made entirely of rails do not serve as a rolling surface. Under these conditions, the connection of these two parts 5 and 5 ′ to the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 can also be carried out by glued jointing, without however presenting the drawback described above.

Consequently, according to an alternative embodiment of the method for manufacturing the crossing point with movable point 1, the parts 5 and 5 ′ belonging to the non-molded element 4 of the cradle 2 are connected to the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 by glued jointing.

• fixation des pièces 5 et 5' à la pointe mobile 1 afin de former l'élément non moulé 4 du berceau 2 ;
• rigidification dudit élément non moulé 4 ;
• liaison entre eux, au moyen d'un éclissage collé des deux sous-ensembles ainsi formés, à savoir celui formé par l'élément moulé 3 soudé aux rails de roulement 7 et celui formé par l'élément non moulé 4, lui-même formé par les pièces 5 et 5'et la pointe mobile 1.

According to a second embodiment, in the manufacturing method in accordance with the invention, the operations consisting in fixing on the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 pieces 5 and 5 ′ belonging to the unmolded element 4 of the cradle 2, then to move said pieces 5 and 5 ′ from their initial position outwards and to keep them in the separated position, to insert between these pieces 5 and 5 ′ the movable tip 1, to release the pieces 5 and 5 ′ so that they return to their initial position, then to fix the parts 5 and 5 'to the movable point inserted between them and to stiffen the non-molded element 4, are replaced by the following operations:

• fixing parts 5 and 5 'to the movable tip 1 in order to form the unmolded element 4 of the cradle 2;
• stiffening of said non-molded element 4;
• connection between them, by means of a splicing glued from the two sub-assemblies thus formed, namely that formed by the molded element 3 welded to the running rails 7 and that formed by the non-molded element 4, itself formed by the parts 5 and 5 ′ and the tip mobile 1.

Consequently, firstly, the tip side is welded to the ends 3A and 3B of the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 the running rails 7 of the intermediate connection path. It will advantageously be a weld of the electrical type.

Then the movable tip 1 is placed on an assembly table and two movable spacers 8 and 8 'are bonded to the movable tip 1, produced in machined and assembled rails. Then, the parts 5 and 5 ′ are fixed to the spacers 8 and 8 ′ of the movable point 1 by glued jointing (the spacers 8 and 8 ′ are made up of joint profiles joined by welded bars; the joint profiles are glued, point side mobile on said tip 1, and on the non-molded element side 4 to parts 5 and 5 ', then bolted).

Then plates 6 are fixed under the unmolded element 4, so as to secure the parts 5 and 5 'and thus to stiffen the unmolded element 4.

The unmoulded element 4 thus produced is lowered from the mounting table.

The first sub-assembly is then placed, formed by the molded element 3 welded to the running rails 7 on an assembly table. The second sub-assembly, formed by the non-molded element 4, itself formed by the parts 5 and 5 'and the movable point 1, is at this stage, approached the first sub-assembly by vertical then longitudinal transfer , or longitudinal then vertical, so as to end to end the molded element 3 of the cradle 2 to the parts 5 and 5 'of the non-molded element 4 of the cradle 2.

Then we proceed to the assembly of the two ends 3C and 3D, heel side, in rail profile, of the molded element 3, respectively at the two ends 5A and 5'A of the two parts 5 made of rails.

This assembly connecting the two sub-assemblies together will be in the form of a glued joint. This, as well as all that follows, may also be valid in the variant of the first embodiment corresponding to bonded splicing of the parts 5 and 5 'with the molded element 3.

Each end 5A or 5'A of the parts 5 or 5 'is therefore connected respectively to each end 3C or 3D of the molded element 3 by two fishplates 10 joined by six bolts 11, three bolts 11 on the molded element side 3 and three bolts 11 on the part side 5 (see Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings).

These ribs 10 (four in total) will be glued in the jointing chambers by means of an adhesive consisting of a resin and a hardener each intervening for half in the composition of the adhesive. It may advantageously be the KLEBER E26-05 METALON glue manufactured by the company HENKEL. KLEBER resin and KLEBER hardener are thoroughly mixed before bonding.

In accordance with an additional characteristic of the invention, and as shown in FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings, a glass cloth 12 is interposed between each splint 10 and, on the one hand, the ends 5A, 5'A of the parts 5 and 5 'and, on the other hand, the ends 3C and 3D of the molded element 3.

The fishplates 10 will preferably be long enough so that the bonding surface, obtained from KLEBER glue and the glass fabric 12, allows the transfer of the tensile and compressive forces generated by the temperature variations in the long welded rails .

Finally, we descend the crossing core thus manufactured from the assembly table.

Subsequently, it will be possible, if necessary prior to mounting on the site, to weld the two ends 1B and 1C of the movable tip 1, opposite the pointed end 1A itself and shaped in a running file to the running rails 9.

On the site, such a crossing core can then be fixed to the sleepers and connected to the rails of the railway.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims (27)

1. A crossing frog with a moving point (1) for very long railway switches incorporated in long welded rails, also comprising, in particular, a cradle (2) in two elements (3 and 4), the first element (3), made of moulded steel, and the second element (4), made of non-moulded parts, being connected between themselves in a non separable manner by welding or secured fish-plates, the non-moulded element (4) being mainly made up of parts (5 and 5') produced integrally as rails and connected to the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side of the moulded element (3), characterised in that the moving point (1) is also connected to the non-moulded element (4) in a non separable manner by secured fish-plates, the two ends (3A and 3B) on the point side and the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side of the moulded element (3) being shaped as a rail profile, but only the rail profile of the two ends (3A and 3B) on the point side effectively serving for rolling, neither the rail profile of the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side nor the rail profile of the parts (5 and 5') effectively serving as rolling surface, the moving point (1), for its part, being produced integrally as rails of which all the upper faces effectively serve as rolling surface.
2. A crossing frog with moving point according to claim 1, characterised in that the moulded element (3) advantageously has all its upper faces shaped as a rail profile.
3. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that there are two rail profile parts (5 and 5') which are connected by glueing to the rails forming the moving point (1) by means of two fish-plate profile cross members (8 and 8').
4. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') are interconnected and the non-moulded element (4) is rigidified by means of plates (6).
5. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the moulded element (3) is of austenitic manganese steel, the moving point (1) and the parts (5 and 5') being formed by carbon steel rails.
6. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the rails of parts (5 and 5') and of the moving point (1) advantageously have a height of 172 mm.
7. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each part (5 and 5') as well as the moving point (1) are advantageously formed from a rail of profile UIC A 74.
8. A crossing frog with moving point according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each part (5 or 5') is advantageously formed by a rail of profile UIC 60.
9. A crossing frog with moving point according to any of claims 1 to 6 or 8, characterised in that the moving point (1) is advantageously formed by a switch rail of profile UIC A 74, in order to impart significant vertical inertia to it.
10. A process for producing a crossing frog with a moving point (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, essentially involving welding, on the point side, the moulded element (3) of the cradle (2) to the rolling rails (7) of the intermediate track of the branch and fixing by welding or secured fish-plates to the moulded element (3) of the cradle (2) parts (5 and 5') belonging to the non-moulded element (4) of the cradle (2), the process being characterised in that it then involves spreading said parts (5 and 5') outward from their starting position and holding them in the spread position, inserting the moving point (1) between these parts (5 and 5'), releasing the parts (5 and 5') so that they return to their starting position, then fixing by secured fish-plates the parts (5 and 5') to the moving point inserted between them, rigidifying the non-moulded element (4) and finally, welding, if necessary, the moving point (1) to the rolling rails (9) on the heel side.
11. Production process according to claim 10, characterised in that it involves carrying out the following operations in succession:

    - welding, on the point side, the two ends (3A and 3B) of the moulded element (3), shaped as a rail profile, to the rolling rails (7) of the intermediate track of the branch, and welding two parts (5 and 5') produced as rails, each at one (5A, 5'A) of its two ends to one of the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side, also as a rail profile, of the moulded element (3) ;

    - placing the moulded element (3) with its two parts (5 and 5') and its two welded rolling rails (7) on an assembly table;

    - spreading the parts (5 and 5') outward from their starting position, the parts (5 and 5') being flexible from the zone where they are welded to the moulded element (3);

    - holding the parts (5 and 5') in the spread position;

    - positioning the moving point (1), produced from machined and joined rails and previously provided with two embedding cross members (8 and 8') by insertion between the two parts (5 and 5') in the spread position;

    - release of the two parts (5 and 5');

    - fixing the parts (5 and 5') to the cross members (8 and 8') of the moving point (1);

    - fixing plates (6) beneath the non-moulded element (4) so as to connect the parts (5 and 5') and thus to rigidify the non-moulded element (4);

    - lowering of the crossing frog produced in this way from the assembly table;

    - welding, if necessary, of the two ends (1B and 1C) of the moving point (1) remote from the pointed end (1A) itself and shaped as a rolling track to the rolling rails (9).
12. A production process according to any one of claims 10 and 11, characterised in that the welding, on the one hand, of the two ends (3A and 3B) of the moulded element (3) to the rolling rails (7) of the intermediate track of the branch and, on the other hand, of the two ends (5A and 5'A) of the two parts (5 and 5') to the two ends (3C and 3D) of the moulded element (3) is of the electric arc type.
13. A production process according to claim 11, characterised in that the embedding cross members (8 and 8') are previously fixed to the moving point (1) by glueing.
14. A production process according to claim 11, characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') are fixed to the cross members (8 and 8') by glued fish-plating.
15. A production process according to claim 10, characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') belonging to the non-moulded element (4) of the cradle (2) are connected to the moulded element (3) of the cradle (2) by secured fish-plates.
16. A production process according to claim 15, characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') produced from rails are connected by a bolted joint, preferably in the form of a glued fish-plate, each at one (5A, 5'A) of its two ends to one of the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side, also as a rail profile, of the moulded element (3).
17. A production process according to claim 10, modified in that the operations involving fixing by welding or secured fish-plates parts (5 and 5') belonging to the non-moulded element (4) of the cradle (2) to the moulded element (3) of the cradle (2) then spreading said parts (5 and 5') outward from their starting position and holding them in the spread position, inserting the moving point (1) between these parts (5 and 5'), releasing the parts (5 and 5') so that they return to their starting position, then fixing the parts (5 and 5') to the moving point inserted between them and rigidifying the non-moulded element (4) are replaced by the following operations:

    - fixing of the parts (5 and 5') by secured fish-plates to the moving point (1) so as to form the non-moulded element (4) of the cradle (2);

    - rigidification of said non-moulded element (4);

    - inter-connection, by means of a secured fish-plate, of the two sub-assemblies thus formed, that is to say the one formed by the moulded element (3) welded to the rolling rails (7) and the one formed by the non-moulded element (4), itself formed by the parts (5 and 5') and the moving point (1).
18. A production process according to claim 17,
    characterised in that the welding of the two ends (3A and 3B) of the moulded element (3) to the rolling rails (7) of the intermediate track of the branch is of the electric arc type.
19. A production process according to claim 17,
    characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') are fixed to the moving point (1) by means of embedding cross members (8 and 8').
20. A production process according to claim 17,
    characterised in that the non-moulded element (4) of the cradle (2) is rigidified by means of plates (6).
21. A production process according to any one of claims 17 to 20, characterised in that it involves carrying out the following operations:

    - welding, on the point side, the two ends (3A and 3B) of the moulded element (3) shaped as a rail profile to the rolling rails (7) of the intermediate track of the branch;

    - placing the moving point (1) on an assembly table;

    - fixing two embedding cross members (8 and 8') on the moving point (1) produced from machined and joined rails;

    - fixing the parts (5 and 5') to the cross members (8 and 8') of the moving point (1);

    - fixing plates (6) beneath the non-moulded element (4) so as to inter-connect the parts (5 and 5') and thus to rigidify the non-moulded element (4);

    - lowering the non-moulded element (4) produced in this way from the assembly table;

    - placing the sub-assembly formed by the moulded element (3) welded to the rolling rails (7) on an assembly table;

    - vertical then longitudinal transfer, or vice versa, of the sub-assembly formed by the non-moulded element (4) fixed to the parts (5 and 5') and to the moving point (1) toward the other sub-assembly formed by the moving element (3) welded to the rolling rails (7) so as to place them end to end;

    - glued fish-plating of the two ends (3C and 3D) on the heel side as rail profile of the moulded element (3) to the two respective ends (5A and 5'A) of the two parts (5) produced as rails;

    - lowering the crossing frog produced in this way from the assembly table;

    - welding, if necessary, the two ends (1B and 1C) of the moving point (1) remote from the pointed end (1A) itself and shaped in a rolling track to the rolling rails (9).
22. A production process according to claim 20, characterised in that the embedding cross members (8 and 8') are previously fixed to the moving point (1) by glueing.
23. A production process according to claim 21, characterised in that the parts (5 and 5') are fixed to the cross members (8 and 8') by glued fish plating.
24. A production process according to any one of claims 15, 16 and 21, characterised in that each end (5A or 5'A) of the parts (5 or 5') is connected to the respective end (3C or 3D) of the moulded element (3) by two fish-plates (10) joined by six bolts (11), three bolts (11) on the moulded element (3) side and three bolts (11) on the part (5) side.
25. A production process according to any one of claims 16 and 21, characterised in that the glue is formed by a resin and a hardener.
26. A production process according to claim 25, characterised in that the resin and the hardener each form half of the composition of the glue.
27. A production process according to any one of claims 24 to 26, characterised in that a glass fibre cloth (12) is inserted between each fish-plate (10) and, on the one hand, the ends (5A, 5'A) of the parts (5 and 5') and, on the other hand, the ends (3C and 3D) of the moulded element (3).

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