EP0328852B1 - Road and rail semi-trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

Improvements with the present invention is concerned relate in particular to special bimodal semi-trailers adapted to travel on both rails and roads, wherewith the rail carriage and the highway carriage as well are removable. The invention may be applied if the highway carriage is non-removable. The invention may be applied if the highway carriage is non-removable, or with other types of bimodal semi-trailers.

Description

The subject of this invention is semi-trailers which can run on rails like railway wagons and on road like road vehicles, in which the transformation from rail vehicle to road vehicle or vice versa can be carried out without the intervention of cranes, platforms or other such systems.

More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in bimodal semi-trailers according to Italian patent application 2124 / A86 of 23.10.1986 and European patent 87830373 (EP-A-0 265 398) of 22.10.1987 of the same applicant, with bogie removable road, which can travel on rails forming a convoy of railway bogies and on the road like normal road semi-trailers, respectively with only the railway boogie or only with the road bogie, or also with the two bogies if you don't want not extract the road bogie.

In these vehicles the embedding of the railway bogie is carried out by lifting with the suspension of the road bogie one end of the chassis of the semi-trailer and, afterwards, after having crossed the bogie of the bogie, by lowering the chassis with this same suspension until 'at insert the coupling pin of the semi-trailer into the bogie plate.

This causes difficulties in centering the coupling pin of the semi-trailer in the bogie of the bogie, for the small tolerances that this operation requires, and it is necessary that your suspension of the road bogie can perform high performances so as to allow lifting of the semi-trailer fully loaded, with a higher cost of suspensions.

This is due to the need to perform an extra stroke of 100mm. approximately to cross the crapaudine with the coupling pin integral with the bogie, and this also leads to an increase in lifting times.

To overcome this drawback, for semi-trailers in which the road bogie cannot be extracted, the manufacturers of bimodal road-rail vehicles have produced devices which allow the application of the rail bogie without the end of the semi-trailer is not obliged to lift above the bogie's basket: these devices however have the defect of interfering with the reciprocal coupling devices between the semi-trailers, that is to say that they are very complicated and do not allow not an elastic snap.

On the other hand, both the semi-trailers according to the above-mentioned patent applications, namely the semi-trailers able to travel on rails without a road bogie, that the semi-trailers in which the exercise on rails is carried out while maintaining the road bogie in the raised position, in order to be able to be inserted in a normal rail convoy partly formed by normal wagons fitted with special adapter bogies, also called shield bogies in this description, which must be applied to both the rear and the front part of the train of semi-trailers, which can be fitted quickly and do not require excessive handling.

The state of the art comprises a document DE-A-3 445 741 in which the railway bogie is provided with a coupling crosspiece 85 which couples by means of a counter-plate to the plate of the railway bogie, the coupling cross member being provided with two forks 88 which enter two tubular cavities 89 on the rear part of the semi-trailer, as do the forks 3 connected to the coupling cross member 1 of the present invention.

The coupling cross member 1 of the present invention does not connect to the rear part of the semi-trailer only using the forks 3, but thanks to a hook 1d which blocks the pivot 2 secured to the transverse beam SR3 of the semi-trailer trailer, in the groove 1c of the coupling crosspiece.

The attachment device of said document operates differently from the coupling cross member 1 of the present invention, because the forks 88 are arranged in a different attachment system produced by means of hooks 21 (fig. 12).

The main purpose of this invention is to improve the functionality of bimodal road-rail semi-trailers, with removable road bogie, and to provide means adaptable with the appropriate modifications to all other bimodal road-rail vehicles, included in the state of the art.

One of the particular aims is to provide in the above-mentioned bimodal wagons with removable road bogie a unique device allowing the rapid assembly of the intermediate rail bogies and the rear shield wagon, thanks to simple modifications.

Another important object is to provide a shield wagon to be mounted at the front end of the semi-trailer which can be mounted using the same front rail coupling device of the semi-trailers.

Another important aim is to provide means which make the coupling between the semi-trailers more secure and which intervene in the event of a break in the main coupling device.

Another object of this invention is to provide means which intervene automatically either to lower or to raise the chassis of the vehicle when passing from road traffic to rail traffic or vice versa.

• a) l'application des bogies intermédiaires et du wagon bouclier postérieur au semi-remorque par un dispositif qui évite le soulèvement de l'extrémité postérieure du semi-remorque au dessus de la crapaudine du boggie ferroviaire, mais qui en même temps n'intervient pas avec les systèmes d'accrochage entre les semi-remorques;
• b) l'application du wagon bouclier antérieur avec les moyens qui permettent l'accrochage entre les semi-remorques;
• c) un système d'enchâssement de pivots de sécurité supplémentaires dans le système d'accrochage entre les semi-remorques par l'intermédiaire d'une manoeuvre de la barre anti-emboîtement.

To these ends, the invention solves the following problems:

• a) the application of the intermediate bogies and the rear shield wagon to the semi-trailer by a device which prevents the rear end of the semi-trailer from being raised above the rail bogie, but which at the same time does not intervene not with the coupling systems between the semi-trailers;
• b) the application of the front shield wagon with the means which allow attachment between the semi-trailers;
• c) a system for embedding additional safety pivots in the coupling system between the semi-trailers by means of an operation of the anti-interlocking bar.

la fig. 1,

une vue d'ensemble, latérale, du bogie intermédiaire relié à l'extrémité postérieure du semiremorque;

la fig. 2,

une vue de haut des deux positions qu'assume l'interface pour permettre l'application du bogie intermédiaire indifféremment d'une de ses deux extrémités;

la fig. 3,

un détail agrandi de l'interface de la fig.2 vue de haut;

la fig. 4,

une section transversale du bogie et de l'interface selon les figures précédentes;

la fig. 5,

un détail des moyens qui permettent la rotation de l'interface par rapport au bogie, ainsi que son verrouillage;

la fig. 6,

la barre anti-emboîtement avec le système de leviers qui permet leur connexion aux pivots de sécurité du système d'accrochage entre les semi-remorques sur rails;

la fig. 7,

une section de la fig.6 sur laquelle on remarque les dispositifs de fin de course actionnés par la barre anti-emboîtement et par le verrou de blocage du crochet qui assure la liaison de l'interface avec le pivot du semiremorque;

la fig. 8,

le wagon bouclier qui doit être appliqué à l'extrémité postérieure du semi-remorque;

la fig. 9,

les détails de l'interface du wagon bouclier postérieur;

la fig.10,

les détails des moyens d'accrochage supplémentaires qui bloquent l'interface du wagon bouclier de la fig. 8 aux longerons du semi-remorque;

la fig.11,

le wagon bouclier qui doit être appliqué à l'extrémité antérieure du semi-remorque, avec quelques détails agrandis;

la fig.12,

la section Y-Y de la fig.11 sur laquelle on remarque les plaques profilées qui facilitent la superposition de la partie antérieure du semi-remorque;

la fig.13,

le schéma de l'installation pneumatique à laquelle sont reliées les fins de course qui pourvoient au soulèvement et à l'abaissement du châssis du semi-remorque;

la fig.14,

un fragment de l'installation pneumatique des freins qui alimente le dispositif de sécurité supplémentaire du dispositif d'accrochage.

The invention is explained in detail below thanks to the eight drawing tables which provide:

fig. 1,

an overall side view of the intermediate bogie connected to the rear end of the semitrailer;

fig. 2,

a top view of the two positions assumed by the interface to allow the application of the intermediate bogie indifferently from one of its two ends;

fig. 3,

an enlarged detail of the interface of FIG. 2 seen from above;

fig. 4,

a cross section of the bogie and the interface according to the preceding figures;

fig. 5,

a detail of the means which allow the interface to rotate relative to the bogie, as well as its locking;

fig. 6,

the anti-nesting bar with the lever system which allows their connection to the safety pivots of the coupling system between the semi-trailers on rails;

fig. 7,

a section of fig.6 on which we notice the limit switches actuated by the anti-interlocking bar and by the hook locking bolt which provides the interface with the pivot of the semitrailer;

fig. 8,

the shield wagon which must be applied to the rear end of the semi-trailer;

fig. 9,

shield wagon interface details posterior;

fig. 10,

the details of the additional fastening means which block the interface of the shield wagon of FIG. 8 to the side members of the semi-trailer;

fig.11,

the shield wagon which must be applied to the front end of the semi-trailer, with some enlarged details;

fig. 12,

the section YY of fig.11 on which we note the profiled plates which facilitate the superposition of the front part of the semi-trailer;

fig. 13,

the diagram of the pneumatic installation to which the limit switches are connected, which provide for raising and lowering of the chassis of the semi-trailer;

fig. 14,

a fragment of the pneumatic brake installation which supplies the additional safety device of the latching device.

The device which allows the mounting of the railway bogie CF to the rear end SR3 of the semi-trailer, is formed by a special coupling cross member 1, also called here interface, which forms a groove 1c delimited by guide fins 1a inclined downwards, to the lower surface of which is attached a coupling pin R2 connected to the baffle R1 of the bogie by via a pivot R3 fitted with a die at the end.

The blocking of the interface 1 at the end of the semi-trailer is carried out after the embedding of a pivot 2 secured to the transverse beam SR3 of the semi-trailer in the groove 1c, by means of a hook 1d held in the position of closing by a lock 1b, and two forks 3 which thread into two tubular cavities 3a in the ribbed transverse beam SR3; the lock is operated by a handle 1e and remains in the hook release position when the notch 1f is introduced into the lateral edge of the interface.

The interface can rotate, around the axis of the pivot R3 of the bogie slider, by 180 °, to allow coupling of the bogie to the semi-trailer, from both ends.

To this end, the rod 9 is raised, which maintains the interface in the hooking position by pivoting it anti-clockwise around the pivot 9b, so as to unlock the cleat 9a of the integral fork 10. bogie.

The fork allows rotations of the interface of ± 5 ° around the axis of the pivot R3 of the crapaudine, so as to be able to facilitate the coupling bogie / semitrailer and allow the normal rotations of the bogie during the railway operation.

The rotation of the interface is facilitated by an annular plate 6 secured to the CF bogie, on which it rests with rollers 7 so that its plate remains horizontal.

The purpose of the anti-friction metal plates 4 is to reduce the grazing friction which occurs during the coupling of the interface to the semi-trailer; the sliding of the forks 3 in the tubular cavities 3a is facilitated by the presence of anti-friction metal plates 3b.

Blocking of the interface to the semi-trailer is subsequently ensured in an emergency by two pivots 8 in the ribbed beam SR3 which thread into two holes 1G with a vertical axis in the interface.

The rear shield wagon is illustrated in fig. 8 and derives from the intermediate bogie by applying to the interface a 1Pa chassis on one side, and on the other a 1Pc chassis to which the 1Pc / 1 pushers and the d device are connected. '' hooking to conventional wagons.

To facilitate its introduction under the chassis of the semi-trailer, the chassis 1Pa, at the corresponding end, is profiled so as to form an inclined plane 1Pb: the fins IPd are profiled so as to facilitate the introduction of the pivot 2 in the groove 1c while maintaining their surface at the same level as the upper wing of the profile 1Pa.

When the shield wagon is not applied to the semi-trailer, i.e. when it is not in service, the interface formed by the coupling cross member 1 and by the additional frames 1Pa and 1Pc, is held in a horizontal position by a device 13 which is connected to them, by means of a hook 13a which engages with a cleat 14 integral with the railway bogie .

This device 13 is provided with forks 13c which cause an additional blocking of the 1Pa chassis with the SRI chassis of the semi-trailer when the shield wagon is coupled to the semi-trailer: the operations of the device 13 are carried out using a steering wheel 13d and thanks to gears placed in a box 13b.

The front shield wagon is illustrated in fig. 11

It differs from the rear wagon only by the coupling system of the interface 1A at the front end of the semi-trailer; indeed the interface 1A constituted by the coupling crosspieces 1, and by the profiles 1Ac on which the pushers 1Ac / 1 and the traction hook are mounted on one side, and on the other a device 13, similar to the device already mounted on the rear shield wagon, for additional blocking to the longitudinal members SR1 of the semi-trailer and as an alternative to a dowel 14 secured to the bogie, is provided with a hooking sphere 15 similar to the dowel SRA2 mounted on the rear beam SR3 of the semi-trailer, which constitutes with the cellar sphere SRA1 the attachment device SRA between the semi-trailers.

For this, the attachment of the front shield wagon is carried out by connecting the cellar sphere SRA1 to the sphere 15 mounted on the shield wagon and successively blocking with the hooks 13c of the device 13 the chassis 1Ac of the shield wagon to the spar SR1.

The purpose of the plates 1Aa is to place the front part of the semi-trailer on the sphere 15: the closure 1Ab applied to the upper part of the chassis also contributes to this maneuver.

In fig. 6 is illustrated the anti-nesting bar A1 and the bar 11 which allows its rotation; this bar rotates around the pivot 11a and it is integral with a plate 11c which, when rotating when it is released from the rod 12 of the lever 12a reacted by the spring 12b, causes by means of the small rod 11e and the link 11d the rotation of the safety pivot SRA3 around the small shaft 11f still guaranteeing the safety of the coupling between the semi-trailers.

The chassis which constitute the interfaces of the shield wagons can rotate around the pivot R3 of the crapaudine so as to allow the coupling of each shield wagon to the semi-trailer, by either of its two ends.

The pneumatic installation which allows the lifting of the rear part of the semi-trailer thanks to the suspensions of the road bogie includes a limit switch 17 actuated by the anti-interlocking bar A1 when it pivots upwards to allow movement on rails. This limit switch, via the valves 19, causes the semi-trailer to be raised by means of the inflation of the cylinders SP of the suspensions of the road bogie: the air arrives through the valve 18 and the minimum lifting height is predetermined. by the limit stop valve 21.

The need to raise the end of the semi-trailer in the coupling maneuver of the CF rail bogie, to a height greater than that of the semi-trailer when it is traveling on the road, derives from the fact that if the road bogie is immovable and must travel on rails, it should be lifted about 25 cm. from the surface of the rails, lifting which is difficult to accomplish only with the CSA lifting cylinders connected at the same time to the semi-trailer and to the axles of the road bogie.

Once the maximum lifting position of the chassis has been reached and once the railway bogie is inserted, the limit switch 16 actuated by the hook lock which blocks the interface 1 of the railway bogie with the semi-trailer actuates the valve 18 in deflecting the air which, in a state of rest, supplied the cylinders SP of the pneumatic suspensions of the wheels of the road bogie, in the cylinders CSA who must lift the wheel axles, inside the limit railway gauge.

Once the maximum axle lifting position has been reached, safety hooks are inserted with which a limit switch 20 is associated which prevents, in the event that the latch 1b is removed during an accidental operation of the handle 1e, that the valve 18 feeds the cylinders SP of the suspensions through the valves 19, when the axles of the road bogie are raised and thus held by the mechanical latching device, causing rupture.

To allow the semi-trailer to circulate, the axles of the road bogie must be removed from the safety hooks by an operation carried out by hand and the lock 1b must be extracted.

These maneuvers cause, at the same time, the inflation of the cylinders of the suspensions SP and the deflation of the cylinders CSA through the valve 18 returned to the rest position; successively, with the lowering of the anti-nesting bar, the leveling valve 22 is reactivated, causing the correct inflation of the cylinders SP.

The diagram in fig. 14 illustrates the devices which cause the braking system of semi-trailers to intervene by lowering the air pressure.

Braking can be caused by the rupture of the hose 24 by the knife 25 or by the disengagement of the mechanical safety hooks which causes the valve 20a to open or by the operation of the handle 1e of the lock 1b.

Claims (9)

1. "Road and rail semitrailer ", the semitrailers being supplied either with removable road bogie or with irremovable road bogie, the devices for the coupling to the semitrailer of the railway bogie or of the rear railway adapter bogie consisting in a coupling plate provided with a counter fifth wheel which couples to the fifth wheel of the railway bogie, the coupling plate being provided with two forks penetrating in the two tubular cavities 3a to the rear of the semitrailer, avoid any movement or rotation, horizontally as well as vertically, of the same coupling plate in relation to the semitrailer, the reciprocal connection of the semitrailers being effected without interesting the railway bogie which only has a supporting function, with devices connected to the front and rear ends of each semitrailer, characterized by the fact that the coupling plate of the railway bogie is provided with a race (1c) allowing its coupling to a pivot (2) connected to the inferior surface of the rear plate of the semitrailer, the race (1c) having a V shape, the locking of the same coupling plate (1) to the pivot (2) being realized by a hook (1d) which automatically locks the pivot (2) in the race (1c) and remains locked by a bolt (1b), the coupling plate turning around the axis of the fifth wheel (R1) by its rollers (7) which lay on two semiannular plates (6) applied horizontally to the bogie CF allowing its application to the rear end of the semitrailer starting from one of the two ends of the bogie.
2. Semitrailers as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that the coupling devices assembled to the coupling plate of the front railway adapter bogie, use the sane coupling system between the semitrailers, that is they are formed by a semi-sphere (15) identical to that assembled to the rear end of each semitrailer, coaxial or non to the axis of the fifth wheel of the bogie, to allow the railway coupling by means of an empty semi-spherical cap SRA1 assembled to the front end of each semitrailer, the coupling semitrailer/railway adapter bogie being effected inserting the railway adapter bogie under the end of the semitrailer, after having lifted it with suitable devices, and lowering this end so that the empty semispherical cap SRA1 is superposed on the semisphere (15) assembled on the sane coupling plate, the coupling plate being provided with a mechanical locking device (1Ab) stopping the movement of the empty semi-spherical cap SRA1 during the coupling manoeuvre, and leaning plates (1Aa) centering and afterwards laterally jaming the front end of the semitrailer.
3. Semitrailers as per claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that the coupling plate (1) of the railway adapter bogie is connected to T beam (1Ac) or (1Pc) provided at one end with buffers and a traction hook or with other conventional devices necessary for the connection to conventional railway vehicules and, to the other end, by a device (13) with hooks (13c) make surer the coupling to the T beams SR1 of the semitrailer surer.
4. Semitrailers as per claims 1 and 3, characterized by the fact that the transversal plate SR3 of the semitrailer is provided with two security pivots (8) which can be inserted in two tubular holes (1G) of the coupling plate (1), the same plate being provided with antifriction plates (4) and (3b) facilitating the coupling manoeuvre.
5. Semitrailers as per claim 1, characterized by a security system in the coupling device between the semitrailers fonctionating parallelly with the coupling device, this system being formed by two locking pivots (SRA3) connected to the rear transversal beam SR3 of the semitrailer, automatically placed by a system of levers associated to rotation movements of the antitelescoping bar (A1) when the latter is lifted turning to allow the railway exercise, the movement of the locking pivots (SRA3) around their rotation axis (11F) being effected in the opposite sense of rotation of the antitelescoping bar around the pivot (11a), the rotation of the pivots around the pivot (11F) being obtained by suitable devices such as a connecting rod (11d).
6. Semitrailers as per claims 1 and 5, characterized by another security system in the coupling device between the semitrailers, this system being formed by a piping or empty body (24) derived by the general pipe of the pneumatic plant of the railway brake, placed between a cutter (25) and each pivot (SRA3), a position which allows it to be cut in case of an excessive displacement of the locking pivots (SRA3), in case of breakage of the coupling device SRA between the semitrailers, to cause, by a lowering of pression in the principal piping, the automatical braking of the train.
7. Semitrailers as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that the lifting or lowering of the rear end of the semitrailer, by pneumatic suspensions of the road bogie to effect the coupling of the railway bogie or of the railway adapter bogie or bring the vehicule again in a position to move on road, is associated to the rotations of the antitelescoping bar so that, turning this bar around pivots (11a) until the flat surface of the bar is locked in a horizontal position i.e. in a railway position, the end of the semitrailer raises up to a fixed height by an end stroke device (21) while, turning it in the opposite direction until its flat surface returns in a vertical position i.e. on road position , the end of the semitrailer lowers up to a fixed height by a levelling valve (22), the lifting or lowering of the semitrailer being controlled by an end stroke device (17) associated for example to the maximum rotation position of the antitelescoping bar.
8. Semitrailers as per claims 1 and 7, represented by devices that automatically control the lifting of the axes of the road wheels, when the bogie is irremovable, until the wheels are sheltered inside the railway profile, only after effecting the coupling of the semitrailer with the coupling plate (1) of the railway bogie CF, pointing out an incorrect coupling semitrailer/bogie, characterized by an end stroke device (16) activated by the bolt (1b) or by another element of the coupling system plate/semitrailer, allowing the lifting of the wheels of the road bogie to shelter them inside the railway profile, the control of the end stroke device (16) being neutralized, in case of introduction of the security mechanical hooks which avoid the accidental lowering of the axes of the wheels during the railway exercise, by a tap (20) connected to the movement of the hooks, the tap avoiding the disactivation of the end stroke device (16) when the hooks are inserted and allowing the activation of the end stroke device (16) with the manoeuvre of the handle (1e), to lower the axes of the wheels, only when the hooks are not inserted.
9. Semitrailers as per claim 8, characterized by the fact that to the hooks by manual and simultaneous insertion on all the axles of the road bogie, which assure the maintenance of the road wheels inside the railway profile, is connected another tap (20c) allowing the discharge of the general piping of the railway brake making it possible for the vehicule to circulate on railway only when the hooks are inserted.

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