CN113279291A - Mechanical device for movable switch guide - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a mechanical device for movable switch guide rails. The mechanical apparatus includes a pair of switches having movable switch rails, a displacement device, a rail retainer, a heating device, a connection mechanism, and a movable locking mechanism. Each switch of the machine is fixed between the point rails and is interconnected with the point rails by a guide unit. The displacement device includes a rotatable drive and a shaft. The movable locking mechanism is disposed in a position to engage the movable switch guide rail with a linear track and a transverse track to ensure the fixing of the movable switch guide rail. A movable structure is disposed in the guide and a wedge is disposed on the movable structure. The movable switch rails are connected to each other by means of a connection mechanism.

Description

Mechanical device for movable switch guide

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of railway infrastructure and provides a mechanical device for enhancing the safety features of a railway track by guiding a rolling stock across the track system along a plurality of alternating railway tracks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanical device for movable switch rails.

Background

The main design objective of railway tracks is to provide a reliable surface for train wheels to roll on. In the early days, railway tracks were simple structures consisting of rails, fasteners, railway sleepers and ballast or slab tracks. These railway tracks are the primary connecting routes between two major cities, so the connecting routes are the primary tracks and do not involve complexity. With the advent of technology, situations have changed as a greater number of railroad tracks have been built between different cities. Multiple tracks are aligned to provide alternative paths for different cities. Multiple tracks are aligned to provide different trains with alternative paths traversing a common track between a pair of destinations.

With the advent of more and more traffic and ultra high speeds on railway tracks, there is an urgent need for a mechanism that provides the function of supporting and guiding trains independently of each other. A mechanical device for guiding a railway along a plurality of tracks has been discovered. The mechanical equipment relates to switches. The switch consists of a pair of linked tapered guideways between diverging outer guideways. These switches can be moved laterally to one of two positions to direct the train from the switch rails to either a straight path or a diverging path. These switches or switches are capable of diverting the train track during its movement to avoid any guideway collisions. In addition, improperly set switches may result in two trains on the same track, potentially causing a collision.

The wheel of a train or rail car is guided along the track by the conical structure of the wheel, but only in extreme cases it relies on a flange on the inside of the wheel. When the wheel reaches the switch, the wheel is guided along a route determined by one of the two switches connected to the track facing the track switch. Specifically, if one switch of the switch is connected, the wheel will be guided along the track of that switch and the train will branch to the other side. Note that only one of the switches may be connected to the facing track at any time, and the two switches are mechanically locked together to ensure smooth track operation.

These switches are basic track switches mounted on the railway track. A track switch typically involves a pair of stationary guide rails and a pair of switch guide rails that move between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the switch rail abuts the gauge side of the fixed rail or the side engaged with the flange of the train wheel in order to divert the train wheel from the fixed rail and the corresponding track to another track. In the disengaged position, the switch rails are spaced from the gauge side of the fixed rails so that passing wheels are not affected by the switch rails.

A conventional track switch includes a frog having a movable tongue and a pair of switches disposed on a base plate provided with curved point rails and straight point rails and moved by a point operating mechanism between a main rail and a lateral rail. In the prior art, there is also a track switch comprising a pair of points fastened on a slab track, which are linked to the guide rails of the main and transverse tracks, a guideway locking pin, a counter gear with a drive and a shaft, which is arranged between the trailing wing rail and the means for its movement.

Smooth operation of the guide rails on a plurality of rails has become a difficult task because over time the rail switches become worn or the operating rods become damaged. It is possible that the flange separates the switch and passes through the switch in a direction different from the intended direction. Failure of such switches places different trains on the same track, which is a potentially dangerous situation.

Furthermore, it has been found that the movable pointed elements (contact tongues) of conventional track switches are relatively weak against external influences, since they are subjected to intense wear, resulting in a limitation of the speed of the rolling stock. This structure does not prevent solid materials, snow or ice from intruding into the space between the movable element and the fixed element, which results in malfunction of the track switch.

Furthermore, the movable non-pointed elements are stubborn and unstable and do not allow operation at higher speeds. Thus, such elements are used only on the inner track. It has been observed that the reliability and durability of the track switches is compromised as the speed of the rail vehicle or rolling stock increases. In order to ensure proper operation of the railway switch it is important that the switch rails and the fixed rails maintain good contact in the engaged position.

In recent years, it has been observed that snow and ice can prevent the correct operation of the switch, especially in cold countries. In the past, people have been used to keep switches clear by manually sweeping snow, and this is still used for routes with less traffic in some countries. Some are provided with a torch for melting ice. More recently, switches have been provided with heaters mounted near the switches so that the temperature of the guideway in these areas can be maintained above freezing. The heater may be powered by gas or electricity. In the event that gas or electric heaters cannot be used due to logistical or economic constraints, anti-icing chemicals may be applied to create a barrier between the metal surfaces of the switch and the ice.

Heating alone may not be sufficient to keep the switch running in snow conditions, while rapid heating may be a more convenient solution. The heater takes time to melt the ice and there will be a service interruption within the specified time of the next train arrival. It is imperative to install higher capacity heaters that can melt ice quickly by applying anti-icing chemicals, or that have sufficient heating capacity to melt ice as quickly as possible.

Moreover, many track switches currently used or disclosed in the prior art have limited functional characteristics, since they do not provide a reliable solution to the above-mentioned problems.

In order to overcome the above problems, there is a strong need and demand for a mechanical apparatus that allows a track switch to operate normally during higher speeds of a train or railcar and provides improved durability and reliability of the track switch. Furthermore, there is a need to integrate high capacity heaters with mechanical equipment in order to eradicate any hazardous situations that may arise due to failure of the track switch.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems by providing a mechanical device that provides improved durability and reliability of movable switch rails and enables higher speeds of rolling stock or rail cars.

The invention discloses a mechanical device for guiding a train or a rail vehicle to move on a basically straight line or a transverse track. The apparatus includes a pair of switches having movable switch rails and switch points mounted on a concrete slab, preferably a reinforced concrete slab. The point rail and the movable switchable guideway form a switch and are connected by a guide unit. The guide unit is rigidly fastened to the point rail. A movable structure in the form of a sliding wedge is placed in the guide unit and fastened at both ends to the pointed rod. The movable structure is movable in a longitudinal direction between a wedge rigidly fastened to the guide rail and the guide unit. The movable switch rails are connected by spacer rods. The wedges are connected to each other by a connection mechanism comprising a spike, the last spike being connected to a shaft located below the guide rail and being able to rotate or move longitudinally and in turn being connected to a displacement mechanism and a movable lock.

In view of the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanical apparatus for movable switch rails to guide rolling stock across a track system along a plurality of alternating railroad tracks. The mechanical equipment comprises a reinforced concrete track plate, a shifting device, a guide rail limiter, a heating device, a connecting mechanism and a movable locking mechanism.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the mechanical device is fixed between the point rails and interconnected with the point rails by means of a control unit. The control unit provides the connection between the point rail and the movable switch rail. The movable switch rail comprises a guide unit rigidly fixed to the point rail. The displacement device comprises a rotatable drive and a shaft which can be rotated and moved in a horizontal direction. The movable locking mechanism is disposed in a position to engage the movable switch guide rail with the linear and transverse tracks to ensure the securement of the movable switch guide rail. The heating device is assembled to eliminate the risk of snow or water forming on the rail. The movable structure placed in the guide unit is capable of longitudinal movement and both ends thereof are rigidly secured to the connection mechanism. The wedges are placed on the movable structure and are rigidly fastened to the movable switch rails. The movable structures are connected to each other by a connecting mechanism.

In one embodiment, the heating device of the mechanical apparatus has a heating device at least partially embedded within a railway structure located in a section of the railway track to be heated. In this regard, the heating device may comprise some sort of non-protruding heating element embedded within the railway structure. Thermal energy is provided to the rail by the heating device to remove snow and ice. A heating element of sufficient capacity is located in the section of railway to be heated. The heating device operates for a desired time without impeding traffic on the railway track.

In another embodiment of the invention, the mechanical equipment provides reliable and smooth operation of the movable switch guide rails without hindering the rail traffic. The present invention is superior to other conventional devices in terms of efficiency and rigidity. More specifically, the apparatus reduces wear of its component parts and precludes accidental intrusion of foreign objects. The stable fixation of the points improves the safety of the movement and ensures the safety of the rail vehicle at high speed.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

Drawings

The embodiments herein will be better understood by the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a top view of a mechanical device assembled on a rail track, which represents the displacement of a rolling stock from a transverse track to a primary track.

Fig. 2 shows a cross section marked a in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a top view of the mechanical equipment assembled on the rail track, which represents the displacement of the rolling stock from the primary track to the transverse track.

Fig. 4 shows a cross section marked B in fig. 3.

Detailed Description

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The mechanical equipment shown in fig. 1 comprises a pair of switches with movable switch rails 8, 9. The movable switch rails are typically railway tracks or points that are movable to guide the wheels of a rolling stock or railcar towards tracks that are aligned in different directions. In fig. 1 different tracks are shown, namely primary tracks 2, 3, straight tracks 4, 5 and transverse tracks 6, 7. The different tracks are mounted on a concrete slab 1, preferably a reinforced concrete slab. Compared with the traditional track slab, the reinforced concrete slab can bear compression and tensile loads and has longer service life. It is most suitable for tracks designed for high-speed rail cars. The movable switch rails 8, 9 and the points 10, 11 are firmly mounted on the flat track 1 by means of mounting means 12. The switch rails 10, 11 and the movable switch rails 8, 9 form a switch. One end of the point rail of the mechanical device is rigidly fastened to the ends of the basic direction rails 2, 3 and the other end is rigidly fastened to the ends of the linear rails 4, 5 and the transverse rails 6, 7, thus forming an integrated rigid assembly. The assembly can withstand high speed rail mechanisms. One end of the movable switch rails 8, 9 of the mechanical equipment is rigidly fastened to the point rails 10, 11 and is coupled with the basic direction rails 2, 3, the other end being movable between the point rails 10, 11 on a stopper 13 with a sliding surface. The sliding surfaces may be made of fluoroplastic or any other similar composite material and are fixed to the reinforced concrete slab 1 for ensuring the fixing of the switch guide rails in extreme positions.

The mechanical device further comprises a displacement device with a drive 14 and a shaft 15, which is rotatable and displaceable in a horizontal direction. The displacement means may be operated manually or remotely. The movable locking mechanism comprises locks 16, 17 connected to the displacement means. Furthermore, a locking mechanism with a drive device 14 and a shaft 15 is provided at the location where the movable switch guide rails 8, 9 are engaged with the linear tracks 4, 5 and the transverse tracks 6, 7 to ensure the fixation of the movable switch guide rails. There is also a heater 23 with a heating element to eliminate the risk of snow forming on the rails. The heater 23 uses a heating element or anti-icing liquid to melt ice formed on the track.

The point rails 10, 11 and the movable switch rails 8, 9 shown in fig. 1 are connected to each other by means of the guide units 18 shown in fig. 2. Each guide unit 18 is firmly fastened to the point rail 10, 11. The wedge 19 is firmly fastened to the point rails 8, 9 and to a movable structure 20 placed in the guide unit 18. The movable structure may be a sliding cleat wedge, a wooden or metal structure. The movable structure is capable of longitudinal movement and is supported on a fixed wedge 19 and is fastened at its ends to a point bar 21 as shown in figure 2. The movable structures 20 on the two rails are connected to each other by means of a connection 21. The connection mechanism may comprise any rod, rod or shaft. The connection mechanism is connected to a shaft 15 of the displacement device, which shaft can be rotated or moved in a horizontal direction by means of a drive 14. The movable switch rails 8, 9 are connected to each other by means of spacer rods 22.

Referring to fig. 2, a cross-section of the marking region a is shown. This cross section discloses a mechanism for a mechanical device to displace a rail car or rolling stock from the transverse rails 6, 7 to the primary rails 2, 3. Once it is desired to displace the rails, the shaft 15 of the displacement device slides the lock 17 by means of the actuator 14 in order to disengage the sliding switch rail from the transverse rails 6, 7, as shown in fig. 1 and 2. Once the shaft has started to act, the connection mechanism 21 turns and causes the movable structure 20 to move. The longitudinal force is triggered and the movable structure 20 and the wedge 19 are disconnected. As a result, the movable switch rails 8, 9 move synchronously with the guide rail stops 13 and are fixed in the extreme direction. The movable switch guide rails 8, 9, which are rigidly fastened to the fixed switch rails 10 and 11, lock the movable switch guide rails 8, 9 to a desired radius.

With reference to fig. 3 and 4, the mechanism of the mechanical device is used to displace rail cars or rolling stock from the primary tracks 2, 3 to the transverse tracks 6, 7. The shaft 15 moves the lock 16 by means of the drive device 14 until the movable switch rails 8, 9 are disconnected from the linear tracks 4, 5, which is shown in fig. 4. As soon as the shaft 15 of the displacement device is rotated, the connection mechanism 21 starts to operate. Thereby the movable structure 20 slides and generates a repulsive force and this repulsive force t causes the movable switch rail 8 to disengage synchronously with the fixed point 10, whereby the movable structure only serves as a support for the movable switch rail 8 on the point 10. The movable switch guide rails 8 are moved synchronously on the stops 13 and fixed in extreme positions via the repulsive forces generated between the connecting mechanism and the fixed wedges. Next, locks 17 rigidly fastened to the fixed switch rails 10 and 11, provided close to the transverse guide rails 6, 7, lock the movable switch rails 8, 9 to the desired radius. In this position the movable switch guide rails are rigidly fixed in the horizontal and vertical planes.

The invention ensures the reliable operation of the switch track, reduces the abrasion of the components thereof, eliminates the accidental invasion of external objects in the structure of the switch, improves the operation safety by stably fixing the turnout, and ensures the safety and high-speed operation of rolling stock.

As noted above, there still exists a foregoing description of specific embodiments that sufficiently reveals the general nature of the embodiments herein so that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and therefore such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims (7)

1. A mechanical apparatus for moving a switch rail, the mechanical apparatus guiding a rolling stock along a plurality of alternate railroad tracks, the mechanical apparatus comprising:

a reinforced concrete track slab assembled with a pair of switches having movable switch rails;

a displacement device;

a guide rail stopper;

a heating device;

a connection mechanism between the movable switch rails of the switch; and

a movable locking mechanism;

wherein,

each switch of the mechanical device is fixed between the point rails and connected to each other by a guide unit, which provides the connection between the point rails and the movable switch rails and is rigidly fixed to the point rails;

the displacement means comprises a rotatable drive and a shaft that is rotatable and movable in a horizontal direction;

the movable locking mechanism is disposed in a position to engage the movable switch guide rail with a linear track and a transverse track to ensure the fixing of the movable switch guide rail;

a movable structure disposed in the guide unit capable of longitudinal movement and having both ends rigidly secured to the connection mechanism;

a wedge disposed on the movable structure and rigidly fastened to the movable switch rail; and

wherein the movable structures are connected to each other by the connection mechanism.

2. The mechanical apparatus for movable switch guideways of claim 1, wherein the reinforced concrete track slabs enable faster construction times, provide longer design life and require less maintenance.

3. The mechanical apparatus for movable switch guideways of claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism comprises a rod.

4. A mechanical apparatus for movable switch rails according to claim 1, characterized in that said heating means comprise heating elements to supply heat to a portion of the rails, eliminating the risk of snow or water forming on the rails.

5. The mechanical apparatus for movable switch guideways according to claim 1, wherein said connection mechanism is rigidly fixed between the switches of the movable switch guideways to enable the movable switch guideways to be effectively locked and fixed.

6. Mechanical apparatus for movable switch rails according to claim 1, characterized in that the wedges are connected to each other by pointed rods, the last pointed rod being connected to a shaft located below the rail and being able to rotate or move longitudinally and in turn being connected with the shifting device and the movable locking mechanism.

7. The mechanical apparatus for movable switch rails according to claim 1, characterized in that said movable structure is a sliding wedge placed in said guide and fastened at both ends to said point bar, said guide being movable in a longitudinal direction, by means of which said movable structure is movable in a longitudinal direction between said wedge rigidly fastened to said rail and said guide rigidly fastened to said point rail.

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