Traverser locking

Tell us about your layout, where you put it, how you built it, how you operate it.
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Tim V
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Re: Traverser locking

Postby Tim V » Tue Sep 18, 2018 5:31 pm

If you are coming to Scaleforum, you could have a look at the traverser on Burnham.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

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Will L
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Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: Traverser locking

Postby Will L » Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:02 pm

A small traverser can, with advantage, be constructed as a sector plate rather than a parallel moving table, although on a short one, the track curvature needed at the end of the outer roads can limits the practical number of roads. One power feed goes via the pivot and connects to all the tracks on one side. The second feed goes via a sliding contact on to a copper clad strip on the face of the curved front edge of the sector plate, suitably gapped and connected to the other rail of the individual roads. The leading edge of the sector plate slides on a flat surface ensuring the tracks stay vertically aligned with the entry road. This sliding contact provides enough friction to ensure it stays where it's put, even when, to ensure smooth operation, it is lubricated with a bit of candle wax. Track alignment can be done by eye without too much difficulty. Align a road with the exit track and only that road is live. I ran one like this, but 4 foot long, for about 15 years on the exhibition circuit and it worked faultlessly for the full life time of the layout. If you are at Scaleforum, I shall be on the society stand we could can go into more detail there if you wish.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Traverser locking

Postby Terry Bendall » Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:44 pm

Pages 4, 5 and 6 of Scalefour News 176, available in the members section of the web site may be useful.

Terry Bendall

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Guy Rixon
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:40 pm

Re: Traverser locking

Postby Guy Rixon » Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:43 am

As with turntables, discussed elsewhere on this forum, a round-ended plunger pushed into a v-shaped or conical notch is a good way to get repeatable positioning.

junctionmad

Re: Traverser locking

Postby junctionmad » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:17 pm

Guy Rixon wrote:As with turntables, discussed elsewhere on this forum, a round-ended plunger pushed into a v-shaped or conical notch is a good way to get repeatable positioning.

Correct

And simple microswitches can be arranged to power the appropriate road , there’s no need for wiping contacts

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Will L
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Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: Traverser locking

Postby Will L » Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:01 am

junctionmad wrote:
Guy Rixon wrote:As with turntables, discussed elsewhere on this forum, a round-ended plunger pushed into a v-shaped or conical notch is a good way to get repeatable positioning.

Correct

And simple microswitches can be arranged to power the appropriate road , there’s no need for wiping contacts

I'm all for proper electronic components in ithe right place, but there is nothing wrong with a wiping contact in this context, presuming you make it beefy enough in the first place. Using a micro switch for each road means you have one switch per road to wire in and keep in adjustment. Sure it will work but it is more complicated. Something rubust and simple has a lot to recommended it, particularly on an exhibition layout.

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Martin Wynne
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Re: Traverser locking

Postby Martin Wynne » Fri Sep 21, 2018 4:11 pm

hi Monty,

Cut one of these, or one similar, into 3 sections:

Image

Image

Middle section goes on the fixed baseboard part, end sections give you 2 locators on the traverser/turntable part. Mechanical location and 2-pole switch in one go. Also good for lifting flaps, etc.

If too big to fit between tracks, the contacts could be dismantled from the base and fixed directly to the board:

Image

Cheap enough to buy several: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1PCS-Knife-S ... 2367004367

p.s. Also available from Amazon at much higher price: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ajax-Scientifi ... B00EPQ7V7K

Martin.
40+ years developing Templot. Enjoy using Templot? Join Templot Club. Be a Templot supporter.

junctionmad

Re: Traverser locking

Postby junctionmad » Mon Sep 24, 2018 7:44 pm

I have one of those knife switches , I don’t know about yours But there is considerable slop in the mechanics


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