EP0043887B1 - Dual axle drive for rail vehicle bogies - Google Patents

Abstract

A double-axle drive for trucks of a railway vehicle has a drive motor with a drive shaft extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a respective gearing mechanism engaged with each end of the drive shaft. Each gearing mechanism is drivingly coupled to a hollow shaft which concentrically surrounds a respective wheel-set axle. The wheel-set axle and hollw shaft are coupled by elastic couplings provided at each end of the hollow shaft. Each elastic coupling includes a coupling half mounted on the hollow shaft and a coupling half axially aligned therewith mounted on the axle. One coupling half has a plurality of radially extending pins and the other has a plurality of radially extending arms, the pins and arms being positioned alternately in a rotational direction. Elastically yieldable elements are provided between the pins and arms, are initially tensioned, and engage surfaces on the pins and arms which are not parallel to the wheel-set axle.

Description

The invention relates to a double-axle drive for bogies of rail vehicles, in which the motor lying with its axis in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the wheelset axles drives the wheel sets via a bevel gear flanged to its two end faces, each bevel gear on the output side essentially concentrically surrounding the respective axles axis Has hollow shaft, which is connected at both ends by an elastic coupling to the axle of the wheelset, and the entire drive unit is supported on the two axles via the four couplings. Such drives, which are also referred to as levitation drives, have been known for a long time. For example, DE-C-838 452 relates to a drive of the type described, in which the elastic coupling is formed from a rubber disk surrounding the axle of the wheelset, which has a disk-shaped flange attached to the hollow shaft on one end face and a one on the other end face is attached to the wheel set axle disc-shaped flange, for example by vulcanizing. (When rubber is used here and in the following, it also means comparable plastics and similar properties.)

All double-axle drives of the type described at the outset are characterized in that the elastic couplings not only have to transmit the torque, but also have to absorb the reaction torque of the motor and have to bear the entire weight of the drive unit in a resilient manner. In the embodiment of the elastic coupling in question, the rubber is predominantly subjected to thrust by the weight and the inertial forces occurring during driving operation, in a plane that is perpendicular to the axle of the wheelset. In order not to let the drive unit sag too much with respect to the axle of the wheelset, the rubber washer must be relatively narrow and hard. However, this increases the negative effects of the shear stress and further worsens the spring action in the transverse direction, i.e. in the direction of the axle of the wheelset. Another very significant disadvantage is that when the rubber disks have to be replaced, the wheels have to be pulled off the axles.

This disadvantage, which is very troublesome from an operational point of view, is avoided in a coupling with divided rubber elements, as is known, inter alia, from DE-A-2 332 281. A on the hollow shaft and a hub on the axle set have a number of radially outwardly extending arms, which are alternately arranged one behind the other and a cuboid rubber block is inserted between two arms. The rubber blocks can be individually removed radially outwards and installed from the outside without having to pull the wheels off the axles. This type of coupling is very stiff in the plane perpendicular to the axle of the wheelset. In the transverse direction it is softer than the version with the rubber washer, but the rubber blocks are exposed to shear stress. The fact that the rubber blocks must first be pretensioned in an auxiliary device during assembly is sometimes regarded as a further disadvantage, so that they can be inserted into the space between the arms which corresponds to their pretension required during operation.

A coupling for such applications has also been proposed (DE-A-2 853 839), in which two coupling halves, one of which is attached to the hollow shaft of the transmission, the other to the axle of the gear set, and both are essentially designed as rotationally symmetrical bodies are connected to one another via radially arranged rubber joint bushings. Although with this version the installation and removal of the rubber joint bushings is easy to accomplish, their dimensioning poses some problems in order to be able to meet all requirements as far as possible.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a double-axle drive of the type described at the outset, which does not have the disadvantages mentioned, that is to say is easy to manufacture and maintain, and the rubber elements of which are subjected to little or no shear stress.

The object is achieved with a design for the elastic couplings of the drive in accordance with the characterizing feature of claim 1 or claim 2. With these designs, it is possible to design the rubber elements largely optimally with regard to their spring characteristics. In particular, it is possible to make the rubber elements stiff for movements occurring in the direction of the axle of the wheelset and still have a soft suspension in the circumferential direction of the clutch. Compared to the known cylindrical bushes, the cross-sectional shape of the rubber blocks with a ring-section-shaped or V-shaped cross-section can be largely varied in order to achieve the axial spring stiffness desired in the respective application. In addition, a clutch according to the characterizing feature of claim 1 or claim 2 requires less installation space than a clutch with cylindrical rubber bushings, which requires a relatively wide installation space, which is not always available. The rubber blocks with a V-shaped cross section do not require any additional protection against lateral migration due to the positive connection with the pins and arms. Therefore, the embodiment according to claim 1 will generally be preferable to that of claim 2. At least three rubber elements are required for each clutch for a balanced operating behavior; since the rubber is not on thrust if possible should be stressed, there should be no less than six rubber elements for each clutch.

Due to their shape, the rubber blocks with an annular section-shaped or with a V-shaped cross-section can only be preloaded when installed. The installation is facilitated and an additional device is avoided if the mutually associated contact surfaces on the pin and on the arms are arranged inclined to each other by a relatively small angle and the rubber elements are wedge-shaped with the same angle. This achieves a uniform deformation and thus a uniform tension in the rubber in the event of axis misalignments, as well as a precisely definable pre-tensioning of the rubber elements during assembly, without the need to use tools.

Appropriate forms are specified in claims 4 and 5 for the execution of the rubber elements. In order to avoid flexing of the rubber and also to make assembly easier, it is expedient to design the rubber elements in a manner known per se as a rubber part vulcanized between two metal parts (claim 4). In addition, it may be expedient to form the rubber elements in a manner known per se from two or more rubber parts, between each of which a metal part is vulcanized in for the purpose of tuning to optimal spring characteristics.

A fixation of the rubber elements in the radial direction is advantageously carried out according to claim 6 with cover plates which are placed on the peripheral surfaces of the pins and arms and fastened there.

• - Die Gummielemente werden vom zu übertragenden Drehmoment und vom Gewicht des Motor-Getriebe-Aggregates im wesentlichen auf Druck und nur wenig auf Schub beansprucht.
• - Das Auswechseln einzelner Gummielemente kann ohne Demontage des Drehgestelles und ohne Ausbau von Motor, Getrieben und/oder Achsen und Radsätzen erfolgen.
• - Bei winkeliger Auslenkung treten nur geringe Rückstellkräfte auf, wodurch eine grosse Sicherheit gegen Entgleisen. gegeben ist.
• - Die Rückstellkräfte können durch entsprechende Ausführung der Gummielemente den Erfordernissen angepasst werden.

A double-axis drive according to claim 1 or 2 and possibly further developed with the features of one or more of the dependent claims offers a whole series of advantages over the known designs, namely:

• - The rubber elements are stressed by the torque to be transmitted and by the weight of the motor-gear unit, essentially under pressure and only slightly under thrust.
• - Individual rubber elements can be replaced without disassembling the bogie and without removing the engine, gearboxes and / or axles and wheelsets.
• - In the case of angular deflection, only small restoring forces occur, which provides a high level of security against derailment. given is.
• - The restoring forces can be adapted to the requirements by appropriate design of the rubber elements.

• Fig. 1 einen Doppelachsantrieb im Schnitt von oben gesehen in vereinfachter Ausführung,
• Fig. 2 einen Längsschnitt durch die Kupplungen eines Getriebes von Fig. 1 in grösserem Massstab,
• Fig. 3 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie 111-111 in Fig. 2,
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie IV-IV in Fig.3,
• Fig. 5 einen Schnitt ähnlich Fig. 3 mit einer anderen Ausführung der Gummielemente und
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie VI-VI in Fig. 5.

The invention is explained with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. Show it:

• 1 is a double-axis drive in section seen from above in a simplified version,
• 2 shows a longitudinal section through the couplings of a transmission from FIG. 1 on a larger scale,
• 3 shows a section along the line 111-111 in FIG. 2,
• 4 shows a section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3,
• Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3 with another embodiment of the rubber elements and
• 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

On a drive motor 1 lying in the longitudinal direction of a bogie, not shown, an angular gear is flanged on both sides, the housing of which is designated by 2. The power transmission from the motor 1 to the pinion shaft 4 of the transmission takes place to compensate for manufacturing-related angular deviations and axis misalignments between the motor and the transmission via a suitable coupling 3, e.g. a tooth coupling. The pinion shaft 4 is in engagement with a ring gear 5, which is non-rotatably mounted on a hollow shaft 6, e.g. by screwing and pinning to a flange-shaped extension of the hollow shaft. Like the pinion shaft 4, the hollow shaft 6 is rotatably but not axially displaceably mounted in the housing 2 by known and therefore not shown means. The hollow shaft protrudes from the housing on both sides to the extent that it can accommodate first coupling halves 11 of flexible couplings 7, 8 in a rotationally fixed and axially non-displaceable manner. Details of this clutch will be described later. Associated second coupling halves are seated on a wheelset axle 9, also in a rotationally fixed and axially non-displaceable manner. This wheelset axle is guided through the hollow shaft 6 and carries drive wheels 10 of the rail vehicle at its ends. In the unloaded state, there is as much radial play between the inner wall of the hollow shaft 6 and the lateral surface of the wheelset axle as is necessary for the deflection of the drive unit, taking into account its weight and the mass acceleration occurring during driving operation, on the one hand, and the suspension options of the rubber joint coupling, on the other hand, plus a certain level of safety. The bearing of the wheel set in the bogie is just as little shown as a disc brake which may be arranged between a rubber joint coupling on each wheel set axis and the adjacent drive wheel 10. These elements are known and are not important for the invention.

Details of the couplings 7, 8 are shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. On the only indicated hollow shaft 6, a first coupling half 11 is rotatably and axially not displaceably applied, for example with a press fit. Pins 12 project radially outward from their hub. The hub and the pins are shown in one piece in the example, but the pins can also be inserted and fastened individually in the hub. With their inner lateral surfaces 33, rubber blocks 32, which have cross-sectional cross sections, are arranged in pairs on the pins 12. With their outer lateral surfaces 34 they rest on correspondingly rounded surfaces 35 which belong to the arms of a second coupling half 19. This embodiment is shown in Fig. 1 for all clutches and in Fig. 2 for the left clutch. Of course, the pins 12 can also be arranged on the second coupling half 19 and the first coupling half 11 has the arms 20. This variant is shown in Fig. 2 on the right clutch. The second coupling halves 19 are non-rotatably and axially non-displaceably applied to the axle 9, for example with a press fit. First and second coupling halves 11, 19 are essentially rotationally symmetrical parts which are arranged axially to one another. The pins 12 and the arms 20 which extend radially outward from the second coupling half 19 lie alternately one behind the other.

For each clutch 7, 8, at least three pairs of such star-shaped rubber blocks 32 are required so as not to allow a large part of the weight of the drive unit and the mass acceleration during driving to act on the rubber elements as thrust loads. A shear load leads to the rubber becoming detached from the metal parts and to a rapid destruction of the rubber elements themselves. In order to eliminate a shear load as much as possible, at least six pairs of rubber blocks per coupling 7, 8 are used. Cover plates 28 are placed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the pins 12 and holding pieces 27 are placed on the arms 20, which are held with screws 30, 31. The means required to secure the screws against unscrewing, e.g. Tab washers are known and therefore not drawn. On the cover plates 28 laterally pulled strips 39 prevent the rubber blocks from migrating sideways.

The rubber blocks 32 each consist of an inner and an outer metal part 36, 37 and a rubber part 38 vulcanized in between. In the example shown, the inner and the outer jacket surface are coaxial. In order to get different spring values, the two lateral surfaces can also have different centers of curvature. The material properties and dimensions are adapted to the respective operating conditions, as is the profile of the rubber ring in the cutting plane shown, which e.g. can be rectangular or arched. or double slant or the like. May have boundary lines.

A further embodiment of the rubber elements is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, specifically the rubber blocks 40, which are also arranged in pairs, have a V-shaped cross section. They each consist of an inner, middle and outer metal part 41, 42, 43 with vulcanized rubber parts 44, 45 between them. The inner surfaces 46 of the two V-legs rest on correspondingly shaped surfaces 48 of the pins 12 and the outer surfaces 47 on correspondingly shaped surfaces 49 of the arms 20. On the outer circumferential surfaces of the pins 12 and the arms 20, cover plates 28, 29 are placed, which are held by screws 30, 31. The means required to secure the screws against unscrewing, e.g. Tab washers are known and therefore not drawn. In order to obtain different spring characteristics for the coupling, the opening angle β between the legs can be varied and / or the metal parts 41, 42, 43 each have different opening angles β. The middle metal part 42 can also be omitted and only one rubber part can be present, similar to FIG. 4. On the other hand, a middle metal part can of course also be present in the example according to FIG. 4.

The inner (41) and the outer metal part 43 protrude into correspondingly shaped grooves 50, 51 in the cover plates 28, 29. This prevents the rubber blocks 40, if the preload should drop to zero in exceptional operating conditions, e.g. by centrifugal force, are brought out of their normal installation position.

The surfaces 48 and 49 are inclined at an angle a to one another. The rubber blocks are also wedge-shaped by the angle a. With this measure, the rubber blocks can be easily installed in the radial direction and the required pretension can be applied without complicated devices, only with the cover plates 28, 29 or comparable auxiliary parts. The amount of preload is determined by the oversize of the rubber blocks 40 compared to the distance between the surfaces. 48 and the areas 49 determined. Both masses can be taken into account in the production according to the desired preload. What is said here about the angle a and the pretension as well as before about the grooves in the cover plates also applies in the same sense to the previously described rubber blocks 32 with a cross-section in the form of an annular section.

The invention is not restricted to the application examples described and shown in the figures. For example other gears, e.g. with a further gear stage, possible, or the parts of the elastic couplings are designed differently, etc. The patent protection should also include such variants.

Claims (6)

1. A twin-axle drive for bogies of railbound vehi- des, comprising a motor-transmission unit, which is supported by the wheel set axles (9) and consists of a drive motor (1) having an axis extending between the wheel set axles (9) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and two angle drives (4, 5), which are flanged to said motor at respective ends thereof and each of which comprises on its output side a quill (6), which substantially concentrically surrounds the associated wheel set axle (9) and is coupled at both ends to the wheel set axle (9) by respective flexible couplings (7, 8, 7', 8'), each of which consists of a coupling member (11, 21) mounted on the quill (6) and a coupling member (19, 26), which is mounted on the wheel set axle (9) and connected to the first-mentioned coupling member by rubber elements, wherein a plurality of pins (12) are firmly connected to and extend radially outwardly from one coupling member (11, 19) and an equal number of arms (20) extending radially outwardly from the other coupling half (19, 11) are consecutively arranged in alternation in the peripheral direction and the rubber elements (32, 40) are disposed between said pins and arms in a prestressed condition, characterized in that the rubber elements consist of pairs of mutually oppositely directed rubber blocks (40), which are V-shaped in cross-section and with the inside surfaces (46) of their two legs engage correspondingly shaped surfaces (48) of the pins (12) on one coupling member (11, 19) and with the outside surfaces (47) of their two legs engage correspondingly shaped surfaces (49) of the arms (20) on the other coupling member (19, 11).

2. A twin-axle drive for bogies of railbound vehicles, comprising a motor-transmission unit, which is supported by the wheel set axles (9) and con- sistsof a drive motor (1) having an axis extending between the wheel set axles (9) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and two angle drives (4, 5), which are flanged to said motor at respective ends thereof and each of which comprises on its output side a quill (6), which substantially concentrically surrounds the associated wheel set axle (9) and is coupled at both ends to the wheel set axle (9) by respective flexible couplings (7, 8, 7', 8'), each of which consists of a coupling member (11, 21) mounted on the quill (6) and a coupling member (19, 26), which is mounted on the weel set axle (9) and connected to the first-mentioned coupling member by rubber elements, wherein a plurality of pins (12) are firmly connected to and extend radially outwardly from one coupling member (11. 19) and an equal number of arms (20) extending radially outwardly from the other coupling half (19, 11) are consecutively arranged in alternation in the peripheral direction and the rubber elements (32, 40) are disposed between said pins and arms in a prestressed condition, characterized in that the rubber elements consist of pairs of mutually oppositely directed rubber blocks (32), which have substantially the shape of sectors of a circular ring in cross-section and have inside peripheral surfaces (33) which engage correspondingly convexly shaped surfaces of the pins (12) on the one coupling member (11, 19) and outside peripheral surfaces (34) which engage correspondingly concavely shaped surfaces (35) of the arms (20) on the other coupling member (19, 11).

3. A twin-axle drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that associated engaging surfaces of the pins (12) and on the arms (20) are inclined towards each other at an angle (a).

4. A twin-axle drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the rubber elements (32, 40) consists of a rubber member, which is disposed between and vulcanized to two metal members and the rubber elements (32, 40) are received by and engage the pins (12) and the arms (20) at said metal members.

5. A twin-axle drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the rubber elements (40) consists of two or more rubber members, which are disposed between and vulcanized to two metal members (41, 43), a common metal member (42) is disposed between and vulcanized to adjacent rubber members (44, 45), and the rubber elements (40) are received by and engage the pins (12) and the arms (20) at the metat members.

6. A twin-axle drive according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rubber elements (32, 40) are radially held by cover plates (28, 29) or the like, which have been attached to the peripheral surfaces of the pins (12) and the arms (20) and protrude at least in part beyond the rubber elements.

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