AU701141B2 - Rail switch and crossing arrangement - Google Patents

Description

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I c i fName of Ap] Actual Inve Address for Invention Til Details of A* method of p P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 )MPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT plicant: JMB ENGINEERING SERVICES PTY LTD ntor(s): ZDRAVKO BILOGREVIC Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys G.P.O Box 772, Adelaide, SA 5001 tie: Rail Switch and Crossing Arrangement ssociated Provisional Application No.

PN1937 dated 24th March 1995 ig statement is a full description of this invention, including the best erforming it known to me:- -1 -L 2 This invention relates to a means for facilitating travel by rail on more than one gauge of width, and in particular to a means to facilitate travel on more than one gauge without changing wheels or bogies.

Most railways in many parts of the world were laid quite some considerable time ago and in many geographical locations represent the first means of automated travel. At the time of laying the rails there were no universal standards for the gauges used and as a consequence there is a diversity of widths of track gauges. Since that time the boundaries of countries and various administrations have changed considerably.

Furthermore it has for some considerable time become desirable to travel between countries and to carry a variety of loads between gauges.

For example in Australia, railway transport was established before federation, and the gauge of railways were not standardised. Railway tracks in Australia have been laid ::00.according to three different gauges (designated Broad, Standard and Narrow Gauge).

o This has created a problem when moving goods from one area with one gauge track to S 15 an area with a different gauge track. A railway car is able to travel only on that part of the railway track for which its bogies were manufactured.

Whilst standardisation of railway gauges is desirable the cost of doing so is prohibitive, and whilst standardisation has been suggested several times since Federation, this has simply not occurred. Additionally rail transport has become a little L, attractive, and there exist a large number of branch lines that are not used a great deal, and their conversion would not be economically feasible.

In the past freight has had to be transferred to new carriages, and passengers have had to change trains to continue to travel on the new gauge. For freight t is present practice in Australia that the bodies of the carriages are lifted from one set of bogies and new bogies suitable for the different track gauge are slid under and fastened to the carriage.

This requires expensive equipment, and increases freight delivery times significantly because there are considerable delays in this procedure.

It has also been proposed to use releasable superstrulctu., for carriages which can be lifted by crane from one substructure to a second substructure for the remainder of its journey.

One proposed means of overcoming the problem is disclosed in Australian patent application 56926/80. The document suggests the use of wheels that have a stepped rail contacting surface. An inner tread of the surface is designed to contact a narrower gauge, and an outer tread of the surface is designed to contact a broader gauge. A flange is provided on the inner portion of the wheel as is conventional for rail wheels, r__ 3 the step between the inner and the outer treads acts as a flange to bear against a side of the narrower gauge surface.

The suggestion made in Australian patent specification 56926/80 offers a firm solution to travel on stretches of track that has no switch or crossing rails by providing the stepped rail contacting tread for both gauges. A changeover is proposed where one gauge is discontinued, and the rail continues with a second gauge.

There is a difficulty in switch and crossing work with intersection of rails using a stepped wheel where the broader gauge is being used, and the wheel must cross over a rail. The contacting tread of the narrower gauge would, with conventional switch and crossing work, interfere with the rail that is intersecting, because it is considerably lower than the tread of the contacting the rail.

A further suggestion is made in the 56926/80 document regarding a turnout. Especially where the broader gauge is used it is recognised that the lower contacting tread for the narrower gauge does need to cross over the higher tread of the broad gauge rail and provision is needed for a branch or point. It is recognised that a wider gap is required .in the rail to be crossed to allow for the inner flange and the inner tread to pass.

A complex mechanism is proposed for switching mechanism. The spaces are generally much wider, and furthermore instead of providing for just movement of the two switching rail to alter the direction of travel, there is also provided movement of a pivoted rail at the apex of the point. One great difficulty with intersections and branch lines is that at switch and crossing work there is considerable instability in the rolling stock, and given the weight of rolling stock, considerable lateral forces exist as a result of lurching of the rolling stock that is occasioned. The suggestion of 56926/80 has 2 inherent difficulties because of the wider gaps that are allowed for, so that there is far greater potential for build-up of lateral forces and damage to rolling stock and the rails and the positioning of check rails and other stabilising devices is considerably more difficult. A great deal of development has taken place with convention rail systems to ensure that such crossovers are not problematic.

A further proposal is made by the same inventor of 56926/80 in 59123/80 regarding a more complex switch arrangement. The teachings therein are further removed from 56926/80 and are not considered of greater relevance.

One problem, in the specific case of applying 56926/80 to a rail system with Broad and Standard Gauge rails a major difficulty occurs about Standard Gauge crossings and turnouts involving switch blades. Accepted practice requires a distance between check rails and rails to be about 45 mm. At the nose of the crossing the thickness of the nose

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4 is about 14 mm so giving an overall throat gap of about 104 mm. Therefore the Standard Gauge tread width must be considerably greater than this to ensure a wheel can not fall between the rails at a switch. If 56926/80 is applied the possible effective Standard Gauge wheel width is about 100 mm and so there is a potential for increased wear and damage to the rails, wheels and nose.

It is therefore desired to provide an arrangement for allowing travel of at least two gauges of rails that alleviates or minimises the above mentioned problems or at least provides the public with a choice.

The profile of a flange of a railway wheel may be considered in simple terms as made up of a convex-concave curve. The actual curve may be, and often is, made up of a complex series of sections of different radii or curvature. It will be understood herein that the terms convex and concave are intended to describe curved shapes of these general characteristics which may or may not be made up of a number of sections of differing curvature.

15 The convex-concave profile of a flange or a profile including a substantially straight line section and a concave section may have an effective slope of a single angle. Whilst this is a simplification and an approximation it does permit such profiles but of different specific form to be compared. This angle will be referred to as the flange angle.

•It will be also appreciated that the discussion herein will be generally in reference to new unworn wheels, rails and the like. Wear of all these parts can greatly differ the original shape of the part.

It is customary to measure a wheels diameter at a point on the wheel tread a fixed distance from the face of the flange. This point is where the wheel should ride upon the centre of a rail head. This point is often called the taping line or the tread line. The actual distance from the flange face depends upon the specific wheel design. For wheels commonly in use the distance is 70 mm.

It will be understood that the term crossings and turnouts is intended to refer to rail course control arrangement and crossings in general. Generally more complex crossings and turnouts can be considered as being extensions or conceptually built up from simple crossings and turnouts.

In a broad form, but not necessarily the only form, the invention could be said to reside in a rail arrangement for use with a wheel arrangement designed for use on two gauges of rails, said wheel arrangement comprising a pair of wheels arranged toward or at either end of an axle at least one wheel having a circumferential surface for contacting a rail said contacting surface being stepped, so as to provide two treads axially spaced apart, and having a generally upright wall therebetween, to provide for contact with two gauges of rails, an outermost of the treads having a smaller diameter than an innermost of the treads, the rail arrangement including: lead-in rails of a broader gauge for contact with the outermost tread of the contacting surface of the wheels; a switch or crossing section comprising a pair of rails of the narrower gauge for contacting the innermost tread of the wheels, a changeover section where the rails of the broader gauge are elevated with respect to the narrower gauge to provide a progressively increasing transfer of contact from the broader to the narrower gauge.

In an alternative form, again not necessarily in the broadest or only form, the invention may be said to reside in a railway arrangement including: ,rails of a broader gauge; crossings and turnouts only of a narrower gauge; and, changeover sections adapted to change a bogie running on rails of one of the gauges to running on rails of the other gauge where the bogie has wheels with two treads, one for running along rails of each gauge, and being part of each wheel with that tread for the narrower gauge being of larger diameter than the :part of each wheel with that tread for the broader gauge, and, being adapted so that a bogie running on rails of the broader gauge is progressively and smoothly changed over to run on rails of the narrower gauge and can transverse the crossings and turnouts and then can be progressively and smoothly changed over to run along rails of the broader gauge.

In preference, there is a railway arrangement in conjunction with a bogie of the type mentioned above wherein at the changeover section the relative elevation of rails of one gauge to rails of the other gauge is smoothly and gradually reduced to a difference less than half the difference between the diameter of the part of each wheel with that tread for the narrower gauge and the diameter of 'he part of each wheel with that tread for the broader gauge.

In the preferred forms, the crossings and turnouts of the broader gauge are replaced with changeover sections and narrower gauge crossings and turnouts. The changeover sections provide gauge change. This practically and preferably need to be completed in 6 1 a gradual and smooth manner otherwise concerns of noise, ride comfort and possible derailment may be raised.

In preference there are restraining means within the changeover section to maintain the relative location and elevation of the broader gauge rails to the narrower gauge rails. It will be appreciated that as the wheel section of one gauge is of a smaller diameter than the other it is undesirable to run a wheel one side of a bogie on the narrower gauge and the other on the broader gauge.

In preference there is packing between a supporting rail-bed and lead-in rails of the broader gauge to raise the rails of the broader gauge to effect the reduction in the relative elevation of the rails of one gauge to the rails of the other gauge.

In preference the rails of the narrower gauge and the broader gauge transverse to a supporting rail-bed are at substantially the same level, except at or around the changeover section.

In a preferred form, at exits of the switch or crossing, the rails of the exiting narrower 15 gauge rails are lowered with respect to the broader gauge rails.

Preferably, within the changeover section there is an overlap between the narrower gauge rails and the broader gauge rails. It is also preferred that there is a suitable lead-in a aangle between the broader gauge rail and the narrower gauge rails to ensure gradual transfer of load from one rail to the other. It is desirable to ensure correct alignment of 20 the wheels with the rails they are running on particularly about the changeover sections.

Guard rails and the like can be used for this purpose.

In preference, the broader gauge is Broad Gauge and the narrower gauge is Standard S Gauge.

The invention may alternatively be said to reside, again not necessarily the only or broadest form, in a railway rolling stock wheel, the wheel comprising: a flange, a first wheel section of a first diameter and a first tread of a first width, all being adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate first gauge spacing to translocate a rail and crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the first gauge; a second wheel section of a second diameter smaller than the first and a second tread of second width adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate second gauge spacing, to translocate a rail set from another at the second gauge; 7 a transition section between the first tread and the second tread; and, the axial profile of the transition section not being adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at the appropriate second gauge spacing, to act as a flange to substantially permit the wheel to translocate crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the second gauge.

In preference the profile of the transition section of the wheel is substantially a line with a substantially concave curve transition to the second tread. Whilst it is possible for the transition to be a straight line step in profile a suitable concave curve is preferred to limit mechanical stresses about the transition. In a similar manner the profile of the transition section of the wheel can have a substantially angular transition to the first tread, or a substantially chamfered transition to the first tread, or a substantially convex curve of radius less than 20 mm.

t 1 :Further, in preference, the profile of the transition section may be approximated by a S line at a flange angle between 0 and 15" relative to a normal to the axis of the wheel.

This, with the lack of requirement for a broader gauge flange profile, permits the tread i of the narrower gauge to be wider than otherwise. In the specific case of Broad and Standard Gauges this permits the Standard Gauge tread width, the first width, to be sufficient to negotiate Standard Gauge crossings and turnouts whereas if the transition profile is that required for a Broad Gauge flange then the Standard Gauge tread width is insufficient. In a preferred form the first width beyond the first gauge tread line towards the transition section is greater than 45 mm.

In preference the second width beyond the second gauge tread line away from the transition section is greater than 45 mm and less than 55 mm. Whilst it will be appreciated that the second tread width can be longer it is desirable to minimise it to S 25 reduce the overall wheel weight.

It will be appreciated that the wheel may be integrally formed or constructed of parts as desired. Further, in a preferred form, there may be a broader gauge part conversion fitting for mounting to a prior known type of wheel to convert the known wheel to a wheel as herein described. In this manner an existing Standard Gauge wheel can be converted to the wheel described herein.

In another alternative form the invention may be said to reside, again not necessarily in the broadest or only form, in a bogie with wheels as herein described.

In preference the railway arrangement includes a road crossing including flange clearance ways of width and depth to permit a bogie running on wheels as described herein, along rails at the second gauge to translocate the road crossing.

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8 It will be appreciated that the increased wheel width requires flange clearance ways considerable larger than currently used. In preference, block means of suitable material are placed in the flange clearance way to substantially support road traffic transversing the road crossing which is resiliently deformable by a railway bogie or locomotive. In this manner light loads can be supported by the block means so limiting the effect on cars transversing the road crossing, assisting in limiting the effect of road traffic on the rails, and still allow the effective negotiation of the road crossing by a bogie. A further advantage of using a block means is that debris cannot collect in the otherwise open flange clearance way which may pose a nuisance or a risk to a rail authority or a train.

The invention may also be said to reside, in an alternative form, in a method of conversion of a railway system switch or crossings to accommodate a wheel arrangement designed for use on two gauges of rails, said wheel arrangement comprising a pair of wheels arranged toward or at either end of an axle at least one wheel having a circumferential surface for contacting a rail said contacting surface being 15 stepped, so as to provide two treads axially spaced apart, and having a generally o.

upright wall therebetween to provide for contact with two gauges of rails, an outermost of the treads having a smaller diameter than an innermost of the treads, the method of conversion including the steps of: removing rails from switches or crossings of broader gauge rails; locating rails and fittings into the switches or crossings of narrower gauge pp.. .proportions; and, g a step of providing for a changeover, wherein the broader gauge rails are elevated with respect to the located narrower gauge rails, at each transition from broader to narrower gauge to provide for a progressive and smooth transition therebetween.

Whilst it may be convenient to simply transpose a crossing or switch of the narrower gauge in place of the broader gauge rail, it may be desirable to have switch or crossing that is made to optimise the conditions of the switch or crossing further. Thus for example it may be desired to make the gauge a little narrower than the narrower gauge switch or crossing. This is feasible because the speeds that would be used to cross the switches or crossings may be somewhat reduced compared to conventional travel speeds.

The switch or crossing section may be any one of a variety of conventional crossover sections ranging from a single turnout or a simple crossing to more complex arrangements comprising several turnouts combined each with diamond crossings.

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1k9 Examples of the type of turnout that is contemplated are in use at present and a description of some of them can be found in suitable text books such as "British Railway Track" publi iied by 'The Permanent Way Institution' (G Cope Ed) (1993).

In another broad form the invention may alternatively or addit ally reside in a method of conversion of a railway system switch or crossings to accon modate a wheel arrangement designed for use on two gauges of rails, said wheel arrangement comprising a pair of wheels arranged toward or at either end of an axle at least one wheel having a circumferential surface for contacting a rail said contacting surface being stepped, so as to provide two treads axially spaced apart, and having a generally upright wall therebetween to provide for contact with two gauges of rails, an outermost of the treads having a smaller diameter than an innermost of the treads, the method of conversion including the steps of removing rails from switches or crossings of broader gauge rails, locating rails and fittings int.- positions of narrower gauge proportions, and the step of providing for a changeover, wherein the broader gauge rail is elevated with 15 respect to the located narrower gauge rails, to provide for a progressive and smooth transition therebetween.

I .To assist with the understanding of the invention one embodiment is illustrated. It is to j be understood from the foregoing that the illustrated embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative and in no way restricts the scope of the invention.

In the illustrations: Figure 1 gives an indication of different railway track gauges used in Australia; Figure 2 shows the alignment and position of wheels on Standard and Broad Gauge railway track; Figure 3 shows a profile of the stepped circumferential surface of a wheel which is in contact with the rail; Figure 4 shows a change over section from one gauge to another; Figure 5 shows an example of railway track at a switch (or turmout) which would have to be modified; and Figure 6 shows examples of road crossings.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Dimensions of certain of the parts as shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity of illustration. It will also be appreciated that some of the drawings are in schematic form rather than realistic illustrations though the meaning would be apparent to a skilled addressee.

Figure 1 gives an indication of the variation of gauges of rails used throughout Australia. The rails (1 and 2) used are substantially the same for each of the gauges.

The distances however between them are quite different. The distance between inside surfaces for Broad Gauge is 1600 mm. The distance between Standard Gauge is 1435 mm, and for Narrow Gauge is 1067 mm. It can therefore be seen that there is a substantial difference between the gauges. It is simply not a matter of shifting the rails outwardly a certain distance to convert one from another. The supports for the rails of the Narrow Gauge are simply not suitable Broad Gauge track. Further, this sort of solution would take time and special facilities. As explained herein the instance 600 invention would allow a train to move from one gauge to another and negotiate 0 15 crossings and turnouts without stopping.

0 A description of a wheel arrangement suitable for the present invention is best seen in i Figure 2. It comprises two wheels (3 and 4) supported near the ends of a shaft by bearings (6 and Circumferential treads of the wheel contact the rails (8 and The wheel arrangement shown, may be part of a bogie, and may be supported on the bogie 20 in any approved manner.

Each wheel has a rail contacting surface. The contacting surface of the illustrated wheels are stepped to provide two treads (10 and 11). An upright wall (12) is provided between the two treads. This arrangement permits the wheel arrangement to be supported on rail track of two different gauges; for example Standard Gauge and Broad 25 Gauge. For Standard Gauge rail track the innermost tread (10) of both wheels contact the rails (8 and 9) as can be seen for the left hand wheel illustrated in Figure 2. For Broad G.uge track the outermost tread (11) of both wheels contact the rails (8 and 9) as can be seen for the right hand wheel illustrated in Figure 2.

Details of the rail contacting surface can be better seen in Figure 3. The width of tread (10) can be kept to a maximum in the present invention because tread (11) does not need the extra width for negotiation of switch blades, nor, as a consequence does the upright wall (12) require a convex bevel.

As a consequence nearly all the difference between the upright wall (12) used as a flange for plain rail negotiation and a known flange required for plain rail and crossing and turnout negotiation can be utilised as tread.

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11 To explain this in more detail consider the situation of wheel for Broad Gauge and Standard Gauge usage as generally illustrated in Figure 3. The wheel has a flange (13) of a convex-concave profile indicated as (14) which has a flange angle 0 as indicated. Typically the flange angle is 20" and the effective axial transition width a is about 20 mm and the height of the flange (13) relative to the Standard Gauge tread is about 30 mm. This flange (13) is typical of known flanges used on Standard Gauge.

The tread line or taping line 33 is 70 mm from the flange face 32 in this embodiment.

This distance is commonly used on current wheels. In a similar manner there is a tread line for the broader tread.

The upright wall (12) is a transition section between the Standard Gauge tread (10) and the Broad Gauge tread The effective height of the transition section is about 22 Smm and has a straight line and concave profile. At one end is a first interface section where the straight line becomes the Standard Gauge tread At the other end there is a second interface section (16) which is concave and suited to run along a rail.

II 15 The effective flange angle for this transition section about 5. The effective axial .transition width (3 is about 10 mm. It will be seen from this that there is T-bout an extra 10 mm which can be used for the Standard Gauge tread (10) compared with the case I where the upright wall (12) was to act fully as a known flange of the type exemplified O0b. by flange (13).

However, the actual gain can be greater than this because the allowance required for passing switch blades is not required. This is about a further 5 mm. In total it is possible to have a Standard Gauge tread width beyond the taping or tread line 33 towards the upright wall (12) of between 45 and 50 mm which leads to an effective Standard Gauge wheel width of between 110 to 125 mm. As mentioned above in the 25 discussion regarding the proposal of 56926/80 this is considerably greater than the 104 mm gap at the throat of the point and is comparable to the tread width of Standard Gauge wheels currently in use. It is also possible to inciase the flange width by about 6 mm compared with current wheels. As the axial movement of the wheel when crossing points is limited by check rails this leads to an effective increase in tread width by that amount. Such a wheel has about the same or more tread width than currently used wheels.

Variation for the wheel arrangement are possible. The first interface section (15) is illustrated in Figure 3 as being a sharp angle. It could be chamfered slightly or be slightly convex in shape, a radius less than 20 mm, which would assist is stress reducing. Further, the flange angle can be altered to be between 0° and 15" as desired which can allow an increase or reduction in the width of the Standard Gauge tread 12 Finally, the second interface section (16) can be varied to be shaper or more angular provided the transition section can still function as a flange for plain rail negotiating.

The wheel can be made using known techniques and materials used for wheel manufacture of known wheels. This includes integrally formed wheels and wheels made up in parts as desired and appropriate. Further, a known wheel of could be modified to become a wheel of the type disclosed herein by the addition and fixing of a suitably shaped part to add the tread of the broader gauge. Alternatively it may be desired to have two wheels supported on each side of the shaft. It is to be understood that a number of variations exist along these lines.

The method of changeover from one gauge to a second is best seen in Figure 4. This figure consist of three parts plan view, side view and end view. It can be seen that the incoming Broad Gauge lead-in rail (17) is set up above the normal bed (18) by suitable packing The packing (19) may be in the form of blocks inserted between the rail and the sleeper supporting the rail. Alternatively the sleeper itself may S 15 have provision for setting up the incoming rail. Blocks however are more convenient 0* because it will be understood that the incoming rail (20) would best be raised in increments, and therefore a range of blocks of progressively increasing thicknesses boo °would be used.

.'of In another form it will be appreciated that the change over section can be prefabricated 20 in a workshop and installed on site as desired. This can be accomplished with known 0o 4 processes, procedures and materials.

4oo A rail of the turnout (20) is set down onto the sleeper and is therefore lower than the free end of the incoming rail. The difference in height matches the difference in height of the treads (10 and 11) of the wheels at instance of the changeover from one gauge to the other.. Preferably also the rail of the turnout (20) has at its free end a taper narrowing down to the free end. Additionally it can be seen that the incoming rail and the rail of the cross over have some overlap. It will be appreciated that an immediate crossover is largely undesirable because there would be very little room for error in construction, wear or other variations. The overlap and the tapering of at least one of the rails allows for a slightly more gradual transition from one rail to the other.

To assist in maintaining proper relative location and alignment of the rails restraining means such as a plate can be used. Further, check rails, guard rails and the like can also be used to assist proper bogie negotiation of a crossing. In this respect angling ends of rails of one gauge relative to the other may be of use.

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~Clr 13 i:~ On exiting from the switch or crossing, the reverse of the illustrated changeover occurs, except that the outgoing rail being broader gauge and mounted higher is tapered towards its ends to facilitate a smooth transition.

Constructional details of the turnout itself are not shown. The turnout is one that is presently used or one known in the art, or described elsewhere. A standard text book can give illustrations. Thus "British Railway Track" published by 'The Permanent Way Institution' (G Cope Ed) (1993) give several example of turnouts and points, and arrangements and mechanisms for such arrangements. The said book entitled "British Railway Track" is incorporated herein by reference.

The rails of the crossing instead of being spaced at a distance for Broad Gauge rails, are spaced at distances suitable for Standard Gauge track Because the wider diameter of the tread of the Standard Gauge section, the Broad Gauge section is brought clear of any crossing rails. The wheels operate substantially in the same manner as they work with only one track of known form.

15 In many instances there are multiple rails crossings, or turnouts consecutively arranged.

:It is to be understood that it is desirable to have all of these arranged to be of the narrower gauge, and only when the crossing/turnout has been passed to changeover again.

The conversion process can take place on the same support of the original crossover.

The original Broad Gauge track shown in broken line in Figure 5 is cut at the changeovers and removed. Figure 5 is shown in two parts Figure 5 and Figure these drawings join one to the other with Figure 5 being on the left of Figure Either new track is laid down or simply old track is laid in position of the narrower S gauge. Suitable points, check rails and other associated structures are also positioned in place. Packing is introduced into the Broad Gauge rail leading into the turnout. The taper of the ends of the rails may be machined on the rail, alternatively new rails are formed. The taper need not be all that great in magnitude.

When a wheel is running along the broader gauge it will be apparent, as discussed before, that the flange and the narrower gauge suspend below the rail heads between the rails. This is not a concern with ordinary use as disclosed herein except in respect of road crossings. At road crossings there are two options; change to the narrower gauge or ensure there are sufficient flange clearance ways. Known road crossings have flange clearance ways which are insufficient in depth and width if used with a wheel of the type disclosed herein.

S14 The flange clearance ways need to be deeper and wider than known flange clearance ways sufficient for the purpose. The specific width and depth depend upon the specifics of the wheels being used but taking the Standard Gauge and Broad Gauge example again the width would need to be about 130 mm wider and the depth may need to be 25 mm deeper.

Whilst the flange clearance ways may have a configuration as just described it may be desired to place a block arrangement of deformable material within the flange clearance way. Such a block is selected to substantially support road traffic whilst deforming and opening the flange clearance way during bogie transversing. This would assist in keeping debris from collecting within the flange clearance way, improve road vehicle ride across the crossing and may protect the rail from some of the effects of road vehicles crossing the crossing. It will be appreciated that the block may be shaped to substantially match the flange and narrower gauge profile so as to give sufficient clearance but reduce the depth of the clearance way in parts of it. Thus a road vehicle S 15 need not transverse as great or pronounced a hole.

It willbe appreciated that the flange clearance way may take many specific forms and the block may be varied. For example, the block could be spring biased in a raised state.

4 2 .Having described the principle of the road crossing various embodiments are illustrated to t 20 in Figure 6(a) and As can be seen there the road crossing 21 has two broader t o 0 gauge rails (22 and 23). On the left hand side of Figure 5(a) the flange clearance way (24) is left open and is of sufficient depth and width to permit a wheel to pass. On the right hand side of Figure 5(a) the flange clearance way (25) has a block (26) shaped to provide sufficient clearance but reduce the size of the hole formed by the flange clearance way (25) compared with that of flange clearance way In Figure 5(b) the flange clearance way (27) contains an elastomer block (28) which supports relatively light road vehicles but deforms to provide clearance and safe travel across the road crossing (21) of a bogie. The flange clearance way (29) has a shaped block (30) which act similar to block (26) but is also biased upward by a spring (31) which is of sufficient strength to support road vehicles but deforms under the influence of a wheel on rail 23 crossing the road crossing (21).

Whilst a turnout has been used to illustrate the invention it is to be understood that the switch or crossing concerned may also be an number of other intersections where a wheel of the type described in this invention must cross a rail other than the one that it is supported by.

It will be appreciated that the disclosed wheel can be mounted on bogies to suit the application. Specific design and dimensions will depend upon the specific application.

Further, such bogies can support rolling stock in known a manner.

Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the exemplified embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate and that the invention is not limited thereto aid can include various modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

0 1 a a f e i s *e Jo:

Claims (33)

1. A rail arrangement including: lead-in rails of a broader gauge for contact with the outermost tread of the contacting surface of the wheels; a switch or crossing section comprising a pair of rails of the narrower gauge for contacting the innermost tread of the wheels; a changeover section where the rails of the broader gauge are elevated relative to the narrower gauge to provide a progressively increasing transfer of contact from the broader to the narrower gauge and, the rail arrangement being adapted for use with a wheel arrangement designed for use on two gauges of rails, said wheel arrangement comprising a pair of wheels arranged toward or at either end of an axle at least one wheel having a circumferential surface for contacting a rail said contacting surface being stepped, so as to provide two treads axially spaced apart, and having a generally upright wall therebetween, to provide for contact 1"5 with two gauges of rails, and an outermost of the treads having a smaller diameter than an innermost of the treads.

2. A railway arrangement including: rails of a broader gauge; crossings and turnouts only of a narrower gauge; and, changeover sections adapted to change a bogie or locomotive running on rails of one of •the gauges to running on rails of the other gauge where the bogie or locomotive has iwheels with two treads, one for running along rails of each gauge, and being part of each wheel with that tread for the narrower gauge being of larger diameter than the part of each wheel with that tread for the broader gauge, and, being adapted so that the bogie running on rails of the broader gauge is progressively and smoothly changed over to run on rails of the narrower gauge and can transverse the crossings and turnouts and then can be progressively and smoothly changed over to run along rails of the broader gauge.

3. A railway arrangement as in claim 2 wherein at the changeover section the relative elevation of rails of one gauge to rails of the other gauge is smoothly and gradually reduced to a difference less than half the difference between the diameter of the part of each wheel with that tread for the narrower gauge and the diameter of the part of each wheel with that tread for the broader gauge. :i 17

4. A railway arrangement as in either claim 2 or 3 including restraining means within the changeover section to maintain the relative location and elevation of the broader gauge rails to the narrower gauge rails. A railway arrangement as in any one of claim 1 to 4 wherein there is packing between a supporting rail-bed and lead-in rails of the broader gauge to raise the rails of the broader gauge to effect the reduction in the relative elevation of the rails of one gauge to the rails of the other gauge.

6. A railway arrangement as in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the rails of the narrower gauge and the broader gauge transverse to a supporting rail-bed are at substantially the same level, except at or around the changeover section.

7. A railway arrangement as any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein at exits of the switch or crossing, the rails of the exiting narrower gauge rails are lowered with respect to the broader gauge rails.

8. A railway arrangement as in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein within the changeover section there is an overlap between the narrower gauge rails and the broader gauge rails. S. 9. A railway arrangement as in claim 8 wherein within the changeover section there is a a 0 suitable lead-in angle between the broader gauge rail and the narrower gauge rails to ensure a gradual transfer of load from one rail to the other. A railway arrangement as in any one of claims I to 10 wherein the broader gauge is 2.:i 0 Broad Gauge and the narrower gauge is Standard Gauge.

11. A railway rolling stock wheel, the wheel comprising: a a flange, a first wheel section of a first diameter and a first tread of a first width, all being :adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate first gauge spacing to translocate a rail and crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the first gauge; a second wheel section of a second diameter smaller than the first and a second tread of second width adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate second gauge spacing, to translocate a rail set from another at the second gauge; a transition section between the first tread and the second tread having a first interface section at the junction of the transition section and the first tread and a second interface section at the junction of the transition section and the second tread; and, the axial profile of the transition section being adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at the appropriate second gauge spacing, not to act as a flange to fi 18 substantially permit the wheel to translocate crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the second gauge.

12. A railway rolling stock wheel, the wheel comprising: a flange, a first wheel section of a first diameter and a first tread of a first width, all being adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate first gauge spacing to translocate a rail and crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the first gauge; a second wheel section of a second diameter smaller than the first and a second tread of second width adapted, when mounted with a complementary similar wheel to a bogie at an appropriate second gauge spacing, to translocate a rail set from another at the second gauge; a transition section between the first tread and the second tread having a first interface section at the junction of the transition section and the first tread and a second interface section at the junction of the transition section and the second tread; and, o j the first interface section being of reduced radius compared with the convex section of the flange profile thereby the transition section being unsuitable to act as a flange to substantially permit S the wheel to translocate crossings, turnouts and other course controlling arrangements set at the second gauge.

13. A railway rolling stock wheel as in either claim 11 or 12 wherein profile of the second interface section is substantially a concave curve.

14. A railway rolling stock wheel as in claim 13 wherein the profile of the first interface C section of the wheel is a substantially angular transition to the first tread. C

15. A railway rolling stock wheel as in claim 14 wherein the profile of the first interface section of the wheel is a substantially chamfered transition to the first tread.

16. A railway rolling stock wheel as in claim 15 wherein the profile of the first interface section of the wheel is a substantially convex curve of a radius less than 20 mm.

17. A railway rolling stock wheel as in claim 16 wherein the radius is between 5 and 15 mm.

18. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 17 wherein the profile of the transition section may be approximated by a line at a flange angle between 0 and S 30 150 relative to a normal to the axis of the wheel. i 1 4 19

19. A railway rolling stock wheel as in claim 18 wherein the flange angle is between 3 and 8 A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 19 wherein the first gauge is Standard Gauge and the second gauge is Broad Gauge.

21. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 20 wherein the first width beyond the first gauge tread line towards the transition section is greater than 45 mm.

22. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 21 wherein the second width beyond the second gauge tread line away from the transition section is greater than mm.

23. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 22 wherein the second width beyond the second gauge tread line away from the transition section is greater than mm and less than 55 mm.

24. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 23 wherein the S first diameter is at least 30 mm greater than the second diameter. i "15 25. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 24 wherein the first diameter is at least 42 mm greater than the second diameter.

26. A railway rolling stock wheel as in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 25 wherein said S, rolling stock wheel is integrally formed.

27. A railway rolling stock wheel extension which when fixed to a wheel of a single gauge 20 type converts the wheel into a wheel substantially as claimed in claims 11 to

28. A bogie with wheels as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 11 to 27. a 29. A railway arrangement as in any one of claims 1 to 10 including a rolling stock wheel as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 27. A railway arrangement including a road crossing including flange clearance ways of width greater than 115 mm and depth greater than 50 mm and the railway arrangement being adapted to be used with a rolling stock wheel according to any one of claims 11 to 27.

31. A railway arrangement including a road crossing as in claim 30 wherein the flange clearance ways are width greater than 125 mm.

32. A railway arrangement including a road crossing as in either claim 30 or 31 wherein there is a block arrangement within the flange clearance way adapted to unimpede the passage of a -railwav wheel.

33. A railway arrangement including a road crossing as in claim 32 wherein the block arrangement includes a deformable resilient means adapted to deform during passage of a railway wheel.

34. A railway arrangement including a road crossing including flange clearance ways of width and depth to permit a bogie running on wheels as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 27 along rails at the second gauge to translocate the road crossing. A railway arrangement as in any one of claims 1 to 11 including a road crossing as claimed in claims 31 to 33.

36. A railway arrangement as in claim 35 including a rolling stock wheel as claimed in claim 11 to 27.

37. A railway rolling stock including a rolling stock wheel as claimed in claim 11 to 27.

38. A method of conversion of a railway system switch or crossings to accommodate a wheel Iarrangement designed for use on two gauges of rails, said wheel arrangement comprising a pair I. of wheels arranged toward or at either end of an axle at least one wheel having a circumferential t'.t ,15 surface for contacting a rail said contacting surface being stepped, so as to provide two treads 4 axially spaced apart, and having a generally upright wall therebetween to provide for contact S with two gauges of rails, an outermost of the treads having a smaller diameter than an innermost S of the treads, the method of conversion including the steps of: removing rails from switches or crossings of broader gauge rails; 4 locating rails and fittings into the switches or crossings of narrower gauge proportions; and, a step of providing for a changeover, wherein the broader gauge rails are elevated with respect to the located narrower gauge rails, at each transition from broader to narrower Sgauge to provide for a progressive and smooth transition therebetween.

39. A method of conversion as in claim 38 applied to a railway system wherein the narrower gauge is Standard Gauge and the broader gauge is Broad Gauge. A rolling stock wheel as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

41. A railway arrangement as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. .Li. S" ii i

42. A method of conversion of a railway system as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 26th day of November 1998 1MB ENGINEERING SERVICES PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys a 0 a C Co 0* 0 Ca a a C a a C. a *0 a a CC a a .a.aa. a a a C a a (j K 22 ABSTRACT Disclosed is a railway arrangement and rolling stock wheel therefor utilising dual gauge rails. Also disclosed is a method of conversion for a railway system to the railway arrangement Without limiting the invention, it is applicable to railway arrangements using Standard Gauge and Broad Gauge. All Broad Gauge crossings and turnouts are replaced by Standard Gauge equivalents and there are changeover sections about the crossings and turnouts to change a bogie running on one gauge to the other gauge. The rolling stock run on wheels which have a Standard Gauge section and a Broad Gauge section of a smaller diameter. The axial profile from the Standard Gauge tread to the Broad Gauge tread is a substantially abrupt step which is unsuited to transversing crossings or turnouts. This railway arrangement allows a bogie to travel on either Broad or Standard Gauge rails changing to Standard Gauge to transverse crossings and turnouts. Without transversing Broad Gauge crossings and turnouts the Standard Gauge tread width can be sufficient for transversing Standard Gauge crossings and o§ 15 turnouts which is not otherwise possible. 0 9 e