EP0054830B1 - Device for the orientation of a single-axle bogie round a curve - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for orienting a bogie to an axle in a curve.

At the origin of the railway, motor or towed vehicles were mounted on two axles arranged pependicularly to the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle, and fixed orientation relative to this plane.

When crossing small radius curves, these axles and in particular the front axle in the driving direction, had a large angle of attack relative to the track, which caused wear and the risk of derailment. As a result, the length of the vehicles was limited.

The invention of the two-axle bogie made it possible to produce longer vehicles, while limiting the angle of attack of the axles relative to the track; indeed, the bogie allows a certain orientation of these, from which it follows that the angle of attack is reduced and becomes a function of the length of the bogie and no longer of that of the vehicle.

However, modern construction techniques have made it possible to lighten vehicles considerably, thanks to the use of electronics in electrical equipment and light alloys in the mechanical part. Relatively long vehicles can again be mounted on two axles, instead of four, which also contributes to improving the mass savings. So that such an arrangement does not lead to wear on the undercarriages and the risk of derailment, the axle must be forced to take a correct orientation with respect to the track.

Document FR-A-1 104364 has proposed a device for orienting a bogie with an axle in the radial direction of the track in a curve, applicable to one end of a first vehicle adjacent to a second vehicle, comprising two fixed anchor points arranged on either side of the longitudinal axes of said first and second vehicles at a distance "a" from each of these axes, the first fixed anchor point being on one end of said first vehicle, the second fixed anchor point being on the opposite end of said second vehicle, and on each bogie two articulation points arranged on either side of each of the longitudinal axes of the two vehicles at a distance "b" from each of these axes, greater than the distance "a", and respectively called first and second points of articulation for said first vehicle, and third and fourth points of articulation for said second vehicle, and at least four connecting rods, the second connecting rod connecting said fourth articulation point at said first anchoring point, the third connecting rod connecting said first articulation point to said second anchoring point, said first and fourth connecting rods being parallel and forming an angle with said second and third connecting rods, themselves parallel between them when the axes of the vehicles are aligned. The second connecting rod and the third connecting rod are formed therein respectively by the association of a guide rod and a steering bar.

Such a device makes it possible to cross radius curves which can go down to 80 meters, provided however that the overhang of the vehicles is limited. This limitation, admissible for radii of curvature of the order of 80 meters, becomes prohibitive for smaller radii of curvature, which can go down to 30 meters, as they occur frequently in metro networks.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of being installed on a train composed of at least two vehicles with two axles, and allowing the adjacent axles of another vehicle to take a suitable orientation in relation to the track, even for very small radii of curvature thereof, limiting the transverse displacement of the axles relative to the axis of the wagon to a small value. It also aims to prevent the longitudinal traction forces exerted by an axle from being transmitted by one of the connecting rods to the body which it carries and by the other connecting rod to the adjacent body, by creating a torque of pivoting of vehicles.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that said first connecting rod connects the second articulation point to the first fixed anchoring point, in that said fourth connecting rod connects the third articulation point to the second fixed anchoring point, and in that it further comprises vertical levers suspended from third and fourth anchor points each disposed respectively opposite said first and second anchor points on the opposite end of the adjacent vehicle, and in that six connecting rods longitudinal connect said first, second, third and fourth points of articulation and the four aforementioned anchoring points so that on one side of the ten longitudinal axis of the vehicles a connecting rod connects the second point of articulation to said vertical lever suspended from said third anchor point, which is connected, on the one hand by a connecting rod to the fourth point of articulation, and on the other hand by the end of said lever and another connecting rod to the first point of anchoring, and that on the other side of said longitudinal axis of the vehicle there are three symmetrical connections from the previous connections.

• La figure 1 représenté une vue en plan du dispositif d'orientation en courbe, les véhicules étant dans l'alignement sur la voie;
• La figure 2 représente une vue en élévation et perspective de ce même dispositif, les véhicules étant alignés.
• La figure 3 représente la même vue en plan du dispositif que la figure 1, mais les deux véhicules sont disposés sur une voie en courbe; la figure 4 représente en élévation et perspective une variante du dispositif représenté aux figures 1, 2 et 3.

With reference to the attached diagrammatic figures 1 to 4, two examples of implementation of the present invention will be described below. Example given purely by way of illustration and in no way limiting.

• Figure 1 shows a plan view of the cornering orientation device, the vehicles being in alignment with the track;
• FIG. 2 represents an elevation and perspective view of this same device, the vehicles being aligned.
• Figure 3 shows the same plan view of the device as Figure 1, but the two vehicles are arranged on a curved track; figure 4 shows in elevation and perspective a variant of the device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In Figures 1 and 2, we see the neighboring ends of two adjacent vehicles, 1 and 2, linked by a hinge 3 of any known model. These vehicle ends each rest, by means of suspension members not shown on an axle, the body 1 on the axle 5, the body 2 on the axle 6; they each have a fixed point known as an anchor 31 for the body 1, 32 for the body 2.

The fixed point 31 attaches two longitudinal connecting rods 11 and 21; the connecting rod 11 is linked to the articulation point 51 of the axle 5 of the same box, the connecting rod 21 is linked to the articulation point 61 of the axle 6 of the adjacent box. Similarly, the fixed anchor point 32 attaches two longitudinal connecting rods 12 and 22, the connecting rod 22 is linked to the articulation point 62 of the axle 6 of the same body, the connecting rod 12 is linked to the articulation point 52 the axle of the adjacent body.

When the train is on a curved track, the axes of the two adjacent vehicles 1 and 2 form an angle a between them and the position of the members described above becomes that shown in FIG. 3. The axle 5 pivots around of the articulation point 51, linked to the body of the vehicle 1 by the connecting rod 11 and the fixed anchor point 31, likewise the axle 6 pivots around the articulation point 62, linked to the body of the vehicle 2 by the connecting rod 22 and the fixed anchor point 32. If the connecting rods 11, 12, 21, 22 are strictly parallel to the longitudinal axis, the axles 5 and 6 assume an orientation parallel to the external bisector of angle a; they remain parallel to each other, and their position relative to the track is not perfectly radial. To obtain this result, it suffices that the distance "a" from the fixed anchor points under boxes 31 and 32 to the longitudinal axis of the vehicles is less than the distance "b" from the articulation points 51, 52, 61, 62 to which the longitudinal connecting rods hang on the axles 5 and 6 with respect to this same axis. The optimal a / b ratio depends on the longitudinal dimensions of the vehicles but is always less than 1.

These devices, as described above, have a drawback, the longitudinal tensile forces exerted by an axle are transmitted by one of the connecting rods to the body which it carries, but by the other connecting rod to the adjacent body. Thus, in the vertical plane of the fixed point 31, the body 1 receives by the rod 21 the forces exerted by the axle 6 of the adjacent body. This creates in some cases, a pivoting torque of the vehicles, which can be troublesome.

The variant of the previous device, shown in Figure 4, aims to avoid the aforementioned drawback.

FIG. 4 represents a view in elevation and perspective of this variant, taken in the vertical plane of the fixed point 31 of the body 1. This body 1 rests at its end adjacent to the body 2 on the axle 5 and the body 2 rests by its end adjacent to the body 1 on the axle 6. Connecting rods 111 and 211 respectively connect the articulation point 51 of the axle 5 and the articulation point 61 of the axle 6 to a vertical lever 35 suspended at the anchor point 34 of the body 2, and the other end of which is linked by a longitudinal link 36 to the fixed anchor point 31 of the body 1. In this way, the forces exerted by the axles 5 and 6 s '' apply half to the body 1 by the fixed anchor point 31 and the other half to the body 2 by the fixed anchor point 34.

A device symmetrical to that shown in FIG. 4 exists in the vertical plane of the fixed point 32 of the body 2. This variant makes it possible, as in the previous case, to provide the axles in the curves with the desired radial orientation.

The device described above is applicable to all the axles of all the vehicles constituting a train, except for the extreme axles of this train. Indeed, each axle is oriented by the action of the body of the adjacent vehicle, which cannot be achieved for the end axles of the train. The orientation of these axles could however be controlled by that of the nearest axle, by any known device, usually designated by the name of coupling between bogies.

The applications are in the field of railway, train or metro technology.

Claims (1)

1. A device for the orientation of a single-axle bogie in the radial direction on a curved rail, the device being applicable to a first (1) and to a second vehicle (2) adjacent to the first one, and comprising two stationary anchor points (31, 32) disposed on either side of the longitudinal axes of said first (1) and said second vehicles (2) at a distance of from each one of these axes, the first stationary anchor point (31) being at one end of said first vehicle (1), the second stationary anchor point (32) being at the adjacent end of said second vehicle (2), and comprising, on each bogie, two points of articulation (51, 52, 61, 62) disposed on either side of each one of the longitudinal axes of the two vehicles (1, 2) at a distance b from the respective axes, which is greater than the distance a, these points of articulation being called first (52) and second articulation point (51) respectively on said first vehicle (1) and third (62) and fourth articulation point (61) on said second vehicle (2), and comprising at least four rods (11, 12, 21, 22) , the second rod (21) interconnecting said first articulation point (61) and said first anchor point, the third rod (12) interconnecting said first articulation point (52) and said second anchor point, said first and fourth rods (11, 22) being parallel and forming an angle with said second and third rods (21, 12), which are also parallel to each other, if the axes of the vehicles are aligned, characterized in that said first rod (11) couples the second articulation point (51) to the first stationary anchor point (31), that said fourth rod (22) interconnects the third articulation point (62) and the second stationary anchor point (32), and that the device further comprises vertical levers (35) suspended at third (34) and fourth anchor points, each one disposed respectively facing said first (31) and second anchor point (32) at the end facing the adjacent vehicle, and that six longitudinal rods interconnect said first (52), second (51), third (62) and fourth articulation points (61) and the four above mentioned anchor points in such a way, that on one side of said longitudinal axis of the vehicles, a rod (111) connects the second articulation point (51) to said vertical lever (35) suspended at the third anchor point (34) which is connected on the one hand through a rod (211) to the fourth articulation point (61) and on the other hand through the end of said lever (35) and a further rod (36) to the first anchor point (31), and that on the other side of said longitudinal axis of the vehicle three connections are provided which are symmetrical with respect to the above mentioned connections.

Images