AU2004203303A1 - A railway vehicle having relocated axles - Google Patents

Description

A RAILWAY VEHICLE HAVING RELOCATED AXLES.

This invention relates to the relocation of railway carriage axles to improve the stability of passenger and freight carriages in motion.

The siting of two double axles at either end of a railway carriage appears to be universal in design and generally unchanged in concept. The incorporating of this proposed relocation of axles would necessitate the following changes. A mechanism to join up the two single axles sited at either end of each carriage for the purpose of making them into one temporary double axle capable of turning left or right as a double axle and thereby also joining one carriage to another of the same design. A mechanism required to allow the centre double axle not only the ability to turn left or right but to move sideways as a whole unit in order to provide the necessary freedom of movement to enable the carriage to negotiate in the railway track.

Because of this proposed change in the positioning of the eight wheels attached to each carriage, and the now direct relationship between one carriage and the next due to a connecting double axle, the full compliment of the locomotive plus all carriages in tow would be more inclined to perform and act as one complete unit rather than a locomotive and independent carriages in tow save for the coupling connecting them.

With a more rigid, lock-solid and secure form of connection of carriage to carriage, there is therefore a greater influence of one carriage upon another, as regards the stability of both.

The locomotive and carriages would be more inclined to remain in a straight line in the event of a crash.

Derailment would be less likely due to the extra support given all carriages by the double axle now situated beneath each carriage at the centre.

A temporary double axle formed by the joining of two carriages would act to restrict, greatly, any tendency of carriages to respond in an unpredictable manner in the event of adverse conditions occurring such as a crash or derailment.

There is a more equal weight distribution upon each double axle, both permanent and temporary.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. I shows a side view of a standard carriage and wheels.

Fig. 2 shows a plan of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates the proposed changes with the relocation of the double axle to beneath the centre of a carriage and the splitting up of the second double axle to provide two single axles positioned at either end of the same carriage.

Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the ends of two carriages that are joined together so that the two single axles have now become a temporary double axle.

Fig. 6 is a plan of Fig.