AU672302B2

AU672302B2 - Body structure for railway vehicles

Info

Publication number: AU672302B2
Application number: AU66112/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Luigi Cencio; Enrico Debbia; Luciano Gerbaudo; Claudio Gugliesi; Alberto Magnani; Pietro Vanlo
Original assignee: Fiat Ferroviaria SpA
Current assignee: Fiat Ferroviaria SpA
Priority date: 1994-06-30
Filing date: 1994-06-30
Publication date: 1996-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-30
Also published as: AU6611294A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: **e .:ee Name of Applicant: Fiat Ferroviaria spa Actual Inventor(s): Pietro Vanolo Alberto Magnani Enrico Debbia Claudio Gugliesi Luigi Cencio Luciano Gerbaudo Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: BODY STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Our Ref 373542 POF Code: 192558/231621 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 1A "Bdy structure for railway vehicles" The present invention is related to body structures for railway vehicles, including a load bearing body-wprk defining the platform, the body sides and the roof of the body- Traditionally such load bearing body-work is constituted by frames formed by longitudinal and transverse members, or vertical elements in the case of the body sides, to which flat or corrugated metal sheets are secured, which are fixed to the respective frames by means of solderings usually made by hand.

These conventional structhres are complex from the point of view of manufacturing, require a massive intervention of skilled labor for their assembing, have vibration modes corresponding to a plurality of components having different rigidity, and moreover the i frameworks employed therein are binding for the spaces with a hug conditioning of t:he equipments and fittings onboard the vehicle.

The object of the present ir-ention is to provide an S. improved body structure for railway vehicle.

*ed s w -2- According to the invention, this object is achieved by virtue of a body structure for railway vehicles, including a load bearing body-work defining the platform, the body sides and the roof of the body, said body structure being constituted by an annular series of hollow structural panels, substantially continuous and having a length substantially corresponding to that of the body, each of which is constituted by an inner wall and by an outer wall interconnected by intermediate longitudinal baffles having a substantially corrugated disposition and with generating lines parallel to one another, the longitudinal edges of each structural panel being rigidly connected to the corresponding longitudinal edges of the adjacent structural panels so as to define a tubular body, further including inner intermediate transverse structural members arranged inside the tubular body projecting vertically above the platform of the body structure and oriented generally transversally to the longitudinal direction thereof for stabilizing said tubular body, each transverse structural member being also constituted t-y hollow structural panels formed by two walls connected to each other by intermediate baffles.

By the term "structural" it is intended in the present specification that each of the said panels is adapted to bear the loads and the other operating or testing stresses of the railway vehicle.

go l By the term "corrugated" it is intended to designate the inner configuration of the panels, i.e. that defined by the baffles, having parallel generating o• lines and connecting the two walls to each other, the function of which is substantially that of stabilizing such walls.

Each structural panel can be made by metal miaterials or by reinforced plastic materials (structural composite materials).- In the first case each structural panel is convenieirtly formed by extrusion, anid in the second case by means of poltrusion, which enables manufacturing each panel by a single operation forming the said corrugated intermediate baffles integrally with the respective inner and outer walls.

According to a preferred embodiment the intermediate baffles can be formed by a plate previously corrugated or bent and then rigidly fixed, by means of welding or glueing, f irstly to one and then to the other the said inner and outer walls.

The main advantages deriving f rom the body structure according to the invention are summarized in the following: rigid and uniform structure, i.e. having relatively :high frequencies in the main vibration modes and reduced dispersion in the local vibrating modes; -minimum use of material for resisting to the pressure blows due, during travel of the vehicle, to

I

crossing with other railway vehicles and to the tunnels; minimum obliged distribution of the spaces, i..e.

maximum versatility in the disposition of equipments and fittings within the body; structure adapted to be easily produced, mainly by longitudinal continuous and automated connections- According to further aspects of the invention, the body C:.:::structure can be integrated by complementary structures for localized funlctions and stresses (headstock girders and frameworks, supporting beams onto the bogies, stabilizing bulkheads of the cross sections, reinforcements of the access door openings), which can be conveniently formed according to the same structural-panel disposition Moreover the inte!rspace of the said corrugated structural pinels awan be adavantageously filled with foamed Ynateriats, so as to obtain a stabilizing effect of the intermediate baffles and of the inner and outer walls, which enables manufacturing thereof with a reduced thickness of high-resistance materials, providing at the same time thermal-acoustical insulating functions.

The invention will now be disclosed in detail with reference to the annexed drawings, provided purely by way of non limiting example, wherein: -figure 1 is a diagrammatic lateral elevation view of a body structure for railway vehicles according to the invention, -figure 2 is a cross section in an enlarged scale along line II-11 of figure 1, -figure 3 is a longitudinal section in a reduced scale along line 111-III of fi-gure 2, -figure 4 shows the section of figure 2 before assembling of the body structure, -figyure 5 is a cross section in enlarged scale along line V-V of figure 3, -figure 6 is a cross section in an enlarged scale along line VI-VI of figure 3, -figure 7 is a cross section in an enlarged scale along line VII-VII of figure 3, -figure 8 is a cross section in an enlarged scale along line VIII-VIII of figure 3.

-figure 9 is fragmentary perspective view in an enlarged scale of the particular indicated by arrow IX in figure 4# -figure 10 is a partial, perspective and enlarged view of the particular indicated by arrow X in figure 4, -figure 11 is a partial, perspective and enlarged view of the particular indicated by arrow XI in figure 4, and -figure 12 is a partial, perspective and enlarged view of the particular indicated by arrow XII in figure 4.

Referring to the drawings 8 reference numeral 1 generally indicates a body structure for railway vehicles, constituted by a load bearing tubular bodywork def ining the platform 2, the body sides 3 and the roof 4 of the body.

The body sides 3 are partially interrupted in correspondence of the ends of the structure 1 so as to *define two pairs of openings 5 for the acress doors to the carriage, and are f urther f ormed with apertures 6 for the application of windowpanes.

The platform 2 is formed in correspondence of the door openings 5 with respectivc) recesses 7 and is further provided, in correspondence of the areas designed to be supported by the vehicle bogies, with passages 8 for possible actuatora controlling swinging motion of the body, as well as with a support trelliswork of a pantograph trolley for electric feeding, if any, in the case of a motorized vehicle.

The roof 4 is also formed with passages 10 for the support trelliswork of the pantograph trolley, if any.

According to the invention the platform 2, the kody sides 3 and the roof 4 are constituted by a plurality of substantially continuous (but for in the areas corresponding to the respective openings 6, 8, hollow structural panels having a length corresponding to that of the body 1, provided with a substantially corrugated inner configuration and having the respective longitudinal edges rigidly connected to the corresponding longitudinal edges of the adjacent panels.

Examples of such structural panels are shown in detail in figure 4 and in figures 9 through 12: those corresponding to the platform 2 are indicated as 12, .**those related to the body sides 3 are indicated as 13 and those corresponding to the roof 4 are indicated as 11.

Each of these structural panels essentially comprises (figure 10) an inner wall 14 and an outer wall :~.relatively thin and normally flat or slightly bent as a 'see.,function of the general shape of the corrosponding zone *of the body, and an intermediate structure 16 having a generally corrugated configuration and placed In the interspace delimited by' the two walls 14, 15 for their mutual rigid connection. This substantially corrugated structure 16 is defined by relatively thin baffles 17 arranged according to a generally zigzag configuration, having their respective generating lines parallel to one another and connected along the respective longitudinal edges alternatively to the inner wall 14 and to the outer wall Moreover some of the structural 'Ils 11-13 are also formed with wings, appendaop, and projections protruding inwardly and/or outwaa dly of the body, such as those indicated as 18, 19 in figure 9 showing one of the panels 13 connecting between one of the body sides 3 and the roof 4, or that indicated as 20 in figure .o showing one of the intermediate panels 13 of one body side 3, or those indicated as 21 and 22 in figure 11, showing one of the panel 13 connecting between one body side 3 and the platform 2.

Preferably each of the structural panels 11, 12 and 13 is metallic, and is formed in a single integral piece by means of extrusion.

As an alternative, such structural panels 11, 12 and 13 can be made by reinforced plastic materials (structural composites), also formed in a single piece by means of S..poltrusion.

According to a further alternative embodiment the intermediate corrugated structures 16 of each panel 11, 12, 13 can be formed by a metal plate or by a sheet of structural plastic composite material, preliminarly corrugated and then rigidly fixed along the crest of the corrugations alternatively to the corresponding walls 14 and 15, by means of welding or glueing.

The interspace of the structural panels 11, 12 and 13 can be conveniently filled with a foamed material, longitudinal edges, conveniently by means or continuous automated solderings, so as to complete the annular series which globally defines the body structure 1.

Such a structure can be further completed by complementary elements (not shown in the drawings) for localized functions and load bearing, such as headstock girders and frameworks, support beams onto the vehicle bogies, support members for the access doors.

Moreover, in the areas corresponding to the openings 8 of the platform 2, stabilizing bulkheads 23 are provided for, which are generally oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction of the body structure 1.

The bulkheads 23, together with the headstocks wal,',s (not shown in the drawings since conventional) and with possible fuxrther inner walls (even not shown and generally known.) act as structural stabilizing members with respect to the operation loads for the tubular body structure. These bulkheads 23 are also constituted (figures 4 and 12) by structural panels 24 also formed by two walls 25, 26 connected to each other by intermediate baffles 27, preferably oriented perpendicularly to the walls 25 and 26.

A siLmilar disposition can be employed, as an alternative to the corrugated inner structure 16 and according to what is shown in the drawings, for the manufacturing of the panels 11 of the roof 4 of the body structure 1.

It will be apparent from the above that the body structure according to the invention can be produced and assembled in a simplified and relatively cheaper way with respect to the conventional structures, is appreciably lighter with respect thereto and enables, for its malnufactulxingp the use of automated joining equipments. it further 1,,rovides high rigidity and structural uniformity, with relatively high frequency o in the main vibration modes and reduced dispersion in the local vibration modes, and moreover ensures the 98 4maximum flexibil$,,;j. and versatility as far as the arrangement of the equipments and fittings of the railway carriage is concerned.

Naturally the details of construction and the embodiments can be widely varied with respect to what has been disclosed and illustrated without thereby departing from the scope of the invention such as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A body structure for railway vehicles, including a load bearing body-work defining the platform, the body sides and the roof of the body, said body structure being constituted by an annular series of hollow structural panels, substantially continuous and having a length substantially corresponding to that of the body, each of wi ,ch is constituted by an inner wall and by an outer wall interconnected by intermediate longitudinal baffles having a substantially corrugated disposition and with generating lines parallel to one another, the longitudinal edges of each structural panel being rigidly connected to the corresponding longitudinal edges of the adjacent structural panels so as to define a tubular body, further including inner intermediate transverse structural members arranged inside the tubular body projecting vertically above the platform of the body structure and oriented generally transversally to the longitudinal direction thereof for stabilizing said tubular body, each transverse :"1i structural member being also constituted by hollow structural panels formed by two walls connected to each other by intermediate baffles. 9*999*

2. A body structure according to claim 1, wherein each structural panel is formed by a single metallic extruded element. g0

3. A body structure according to claim 1, wherein each structural panel is formed by a single element of poltruded reinforced plastic material.

4. A body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

9. :"23 said inner and outer walls are joined therebetween by a corrugated intetnediate sheet with the joins coinciding with crests of the corrugation. A body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate baffles are substantially flat and disposed according to a zigzag configuration. JPD C \WIMN RD\JACQUELIFNODELERETPINO' I t I2CLM 000 -12- 6. A body structure according to claim 5, wherein the said intermediate baffles are joined along their respective longitudinal edges alternatively to the inner wall and to the outer wall of the respective structural panel. 7. A body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interspace of the structural panels are filled with a foamed material. 8. A body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structural panels are connected to one arother by means of continuous automated joinings, such as by welding or glueing. 9. A body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it is further integrated by complementary elements for localized functions and load bearing. 1

10. A body structure substantially as herein before described with respect to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated: 25 July 1996 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK S Attorneys for; S FIAT FERROVIARIA SPA 9* JI ROSMITUACUEtnl C O IOEIEWETYPINOlG CLM OC I ASIAGCTL "Body structure for railway vehicles" Body structure for railway vehicles comprising a load bearing body-work defining the platform the body sides and the roof of the body, constituted by an annular series of hollow structural panels (11, 12, 13), substantially continuous and having a length substantially corresponding to that of the body. Each structural panel (11, 12, 13) is formed by an inner wall (14) and by an outer wall connected therebetween by intermediate baffles (17) having a substantially corrugated disposition with parallel generating lin2s The longitudinal edges of each structural panel (11, 12, 13) are rigidly connected to the corresponding longitudinal edges of the adjacent panels by means of continuous welding. (Figure 2)