EP0357505A1 - Articulated twin-engined bogie for rail vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the industry of railway vehicles. Each of the motors (M-M') of the bogie has its drive shaft (14) orientated longitudinally and is secured by its carcases (8-8') to the corresponding beam (2-2') in the central portion thereof. The carcases (8-8') of both motors are interconnected by means of an elastic articulated mounting (28) flexible about a transverse horizontal axis (30). The carcases of both motors (M-M') form the central bolster of the bogie. The invention makes possible the construction of bimotor articulated bogies shorter than those built so far.

Description

The present invention relates to an articulated twin-engine bogie for a railway vehicle.

A conventional bogie for a railway vehicle comprises a chassis formed essentially by: two longitudinal members supporting the two axles of the wheels; and cross bracing elements, or cross members, between the side members, ensuring the rigidity of the chassis.

For several years, so-called "articulated" or "flexible" bogies have been produced in which the bracing means of the two beams of the bogie are designed and arranged to allow them to undergo a very slight relative pivoting movement. amplitude (of the order of a few degrees) around a transverse horizontal theoretical axis situated substantially in the plane of the geometric axes of the two axles and equidistant from them.

Such a bogie has been described in French patent N ° 2,036,071 filed on March 4, 1969 in the name of "Les Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France". According to a form of construction described in this patent, each of the crosspieces consists of two half-crosspieces each having one end rigidly connected to a spar, the other ends facing the half-crosspieces, in the longitudinal axis of the bogie, being joined by deformable elastic connecting members.

"Articulated" bogies have the particular advantage, compared to rigid bogies, that they allow the loads supported by the four wheels to be kept substantially equal of the same bogie despite the deformations of the track and particularly the slope variations.

Another example of an "articulated" bogie, or more precisely of a "flexible" bogie, is given by US Patent No. 4,046,080, filed March 18, 1975, in the name of WEGMANN.

According to this patent, the construction of the bogie chassis is such and the configuration of its constituents, in particular the cross-members, is such that the whole of the bogie is flexible so that the two longitudinal members can slightly move angularly, one relative to the other according to the level differences of the track.

When an articulated motor bogie is produced, for example a twin-engine bogie, each motor is disposed between the axle which it drives and the chassis cross member located on the side of this axle, the carcass of the motor being fixed to the spar and to the cross member (or half cross member) linked to this spar. Such an arrangement is described and shown in the aforementioned United States patent, in which it is mainly provided that the motor shaft is parallel to the axle, a reduction bridge connecting the shaft of each motor to its respective axle.

In an articulated bogie frame, the assembly constituted by the cross members occupies, in the central part of the frame, a relatively large portion, for example of the order of 35 to 40%, of the total length of the frame.

Due to the fact that each engine is placed between the last cross member of the set of cross members and the corresponding axle, this results in an imposed overall length which is relatively large.

It has also been proposed, in an articulated twin-engine chassis, to place each motor, between the cross-member and the axle, but with the motor shaft oriented longitudinally. In this case, a conical reduction bridge, or the like, is provided between the drive shaft and the axle.

However, this solution does not generally make it possible to reduce the length of the chassis and, on the contrary, would tend to increase it.

For certain applications, in particular urban rail vehicles traveling in curves with a small radius, it is sought to produce the shortest driving bogies possible, but one is limited in this sense by the requirements mentioned above which are linked to articulated bogies.

The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback and it makes it possible to produce shorter articulated twin-engine bogies than those known hitherto.

The subject of the invention is an articulated twin-engine bogie for a railway vehicle, in which the bogie chassis comprises two longitudinal members supporting the two axles and in which each motor is arranged, in the chassis, with its shaft oriented longitudinally, said shaft driving its respective axle by a reduction bridge, said bogie being characterized: in that each of the motors is rigidly fixed, by its carcass, on the inner face of a spar, substantially mid-length of this spar; in that the two faces of the motor carcasses facing the longitudinal axis of the bogie are facing each other over at least part of their extent; and in that the two motors are connected together, by their carcass, by means of a deformable elastic connection system around a transverse horizontal axis, the two motors thus connected constituting the central cross-member of the bogie joining the two side members.

Thanks to the fact that the central cross member of the chassis is eliminated, the motors can be placed in this central part of the chassis and, moreover, the two motors are side by side, so that their lengths do not add up. As a result, this results in a very significant shortening of the bogie.

In addition, the removal of the central cross member of the chassis provides significant weight and price savings.

Finally, the particular arrangement of the components of a bogie according to the invention makes it possible to produce a bogie of low height, which is advantageous, in particular for urban rail vehicles such as trams.

• La figure 1 es une vue en plan d'un bogie moteur suivant l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue de côté du bogie, la vue étant faite à partir de l'extérieur dans la partie gauche de la figure et à partir du plan longitudinal médian II-II dans la partie droite de la figure.
• La figure 3 est une vue partielle en coupe transversale suivant la ligne III-III de la figure 1.
• La figure 4 est une vue partielle de côté, faite à partir du plan longitudinal médian II-II, montrant un mode de réalisation d'un système de fixation articulée des deux moteurs.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe diamétrale d'un des éléments de fixation représentés sur la figure 4.
• La figure 6 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 5.
• La figure 7 est une vue, analogue à la figure 2, d'une partie d'un bogie conforme à l'invention équipé de patins magnétiques.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the appended drawings.

• Figure 1 is a plan view of a motor bogie according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a side view of the bogie, the view being made from the outside in the left part of the figure and from the median longitudinal plane II-II in the right part of the figure.
• Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view along line III-III of Figure 1.
• Figure 4 is a partial side view, taken from the median longitudinal plane II-II, showing an embodiment of a hinged fixing system of the two motors.
• FIG. 5 is a view in diametral section of one of the fastening elements shown in FIG. 4.
• Figure 6 is a sectional view along line VI-VI of Figure 5.
• Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 2, of a part of a bogie according to the invention equipped with magnetic pads.

The chassis of the bogie comprises two identical rigid longitudinal members 2-2 ′ which support the axle boxes 3 of the two axles 4-4 ′ on which the wheels R of the bogie are fixed, which roll on a rail plane 6.

The first traction motor M is rigidly fixed, by its external carcass 8, on the internal face 10 of the beam 2, an example of fixing the carcass 8 on the beam 2, by means of bolts 12, being better represented in the figure 3.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the motor M is fixed to the spar 2 substantially at the mid-length of this spar and the motor is arranged so that its output shaft 14 is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis II-II of the bogie.

The shaft 14 of the motor M drives the axle 4 via a conventional coupling 16 and a conventional reduction bridge 18. The coupling 16 can accept misalignments between motor and reduction bridge due to deformations of the suspension primary. This primary suspension can be constituted, in a known manner, by an elastic ring 20 (preferably formed by three segments of arcs) interposed between the axle box 3 and the spar 2 or 2 ′. The bogie is equipped with four primary suspensions.

A reaction rod 22 connects the reduction gear 18 to a fixed point on the chassis of the bogie. In the embodiment shown, this fixed point is constituted by a lug 24 carried by the carcass 8 ′ of the second motor M ′ which will now be discussed.

This second motor M ′ is mounted symmetrically with respect to the first motor M, that is to say that it is fixed, by its shell 8 ′, to the inner face 10 ′ of the spar 2 ′ and that it drives the axle 4 ′ via a coupling 16 ′ and a reduction bridge 18 ′.

As can be clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the two faces 26-26 ′ of the carcasses 8-8 ′ of the two motors MM ′ which are turned towards the longitudinal median plane of the bogie are opposite one another over at least most of their extent.

The two motors MM ′ are connected together, by the facing faces 26-26 ′ of their carcasses, by means of a connection system which has the general reference 28 and which has a slight flexibility in rotation about an axis horizontal transverse 30 equidistant from axles 4-4 ′.

According to a preferred embodiment, this deformable connection system consists of four elastic joints 32 (see also Figure 4) which will be described in more detail in the following.

We can see now that the chassis of the bogie according to the invention does not have a central cross member forming a structural part of the chassis (as on conventional chassis) but that this central cross member is formed by the carcasses of the two motors connected together by the system flexible link 28.

An articulated twin-engine bogie is thus produced, presenting all the advantages of conventional articulated bogies, but also making it possible to produce a much shorter bogie than hitherto.

Indeed, the presence of the central cross member in conventional bogies prevented the motors from being housed in this central part while the arrangement side by side of the two motors, according to the invention avoids the accumulation of the lengths of the two motors and occupies the part central bogie.

It should be noted that the carcasses of conventional electric motors offer an overabundant mechanical solidity which is not generally used, whereas, according to the present invention, this solidity is used to constitute the transverse connecting element, or cross member, between the two side members.

The deformable connection system between the two motors comprises four articulations 32 which are arranged in a quadrilateral centered on the axis 30 (see FIG. 4).

Each articulation 32 comprises (FIGS. 5 and 6) a hollow yoke 34, fixed to the wall 26 or 26 ′ of the carcass of one of the motors, and an ear 36, fixed to the facing wall 26 ′ or 26 of the 'Another engine, these two elements 34-36 being joined by a pin 38 with the interposition of an elastic ring 40. Elastic joints of this type have been described in French patent 2,036,071 cited above.

The bogie shown comprises, conventionally, two secondary suspensions 42-42 ′ interposed between each spar 2-2 ′, in its central part, and a load cross member or "dancer" cross member 44, resting on the secondary suspensions (see Figure 3) and supporting the body or bodies (not shown) of railway vehicles.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, each secondary suspension is composed of a conical spring 46 surmounted, optionally, of two elastic sandwiches 48 arranged in a V, or of a single elastic element ensuring the vertical and lateral suspensions of the body .

In the box, shown in the figures, where the bogie is an "inter-body" bogie, the dancer crosspiece 44 supports a fixed central crown 50 on which rotate an outer ring 52 and an inner ring 54. The inner ring is linked to one of the boxes and the outer ring is linked to the other box.

Of course, the bogie can be provided with a single pivot for mounting under a single box.

The bogie shown in Figures 1 and 2 is equipped with four brake blocks 56, one per wheel, applying a shoe 58 on each wheel R. As can be seen, each brake block can be mounted on the central part of the supporting beam the secondary suspension, so that, here again, the total length of the bogie can be kept at a minimum value.

In FIG. 7, which is analogous to the left part of FIG. 2, there is shown a bogie according to the invention which is provided, in addition to the four braking blocks, with two magnetic pads 60 which are located in the central part longitudinal members and fixed thereto by supports 62. In this case, the brake blocks 56 with shoe must be fixed on extensions 64 of the longitudinal members 2-2 ′. The bogie is then shorter than that described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3, but however much shorter than a conventional articulated twin-engine bogie with magnetic pads.

Claims (6)

1) Articulated twin-engine bogie, for a railway vehicle, in which the bogie chassis comprises two beams (2-2 ′) supporting the two axles (4-4 ′) and in which each engine is arranged, in the chassis, with its shaft (14) oriented longitudinally, said shaft driving its respective axle by a reduction bridge (18-18 ′), said bogie being characterized: in that each of the motors (MM ′) is rigidly fixed, by its carcass (8-8 ′ ), on the inner face (10-10 ′) of a spar (2-2 ′) substantially mid-length of this spar; in that the two faces (26-26 ′) of the motor carcasses facing the longitudinal median plane of the bogie are facing each other over at least part of their extent; and in that the two motors (MM ′) are interconnected, by their carcass (8-8 ′), by means of an elastic connection system (28) deformable around a transverse horizontal axis (30), the two motors thus connected constituting the articulated central cross member of the bogie uniting the two side members. 2) Bogie according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic connection system (28) is interposed between the facing faces (26-26 ′) of the carcasses (8-8 ′) of the two motors. 3) Bogie according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastic connection system (28) comprises a plurality of individual articulations (32) which are centered on the horizontal transverse axis 30. 4) Bogie according to claim 3, characterized in that each individual articulation (32) comprises a first rigid coupling element (34), similar to a yoke, which is rigidly fixed to the face (26) of one of the motors, and a second rigid coupling element (36), similar to an ear, which is rigidly fixed to the opposite face (26 ′) of the other motor, and in that the two said elements (34-36) are coupled by an axis (38) surrounded by an elastic sleeve (40). 5) Bogie according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the connection system (28) comprises four individual joints (32). 6) Bogie according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each reduction bridge (18-18 ′) is blocked in rotation by a reaction rod (22) whose end opposite the reduction gear is fixed, by a fixing member (24-24 ′), to the frame of one of the motors.

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