EP0431092A1

EP0431092A1 - Process for continuous welding of track sections, and set of wagons especially equipped for its implementation.

Info

Publication number: EP0431092A1
Application number: EP90907036A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sergio Valditerra
Original assignee: VALDITERRA LAVORI FERROVIARI SpA; VALDITERRA LAVORI FERROVIARI S
Current assignee: TAMPER CORP
Priority date: 1989-05-23
Filing date: 1990-05-08
Publication date: 1991-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-08
Also published as: AU635934B2; IT1232099B; WO1990014470A1; CA2033177C; IT8967386A0; EP0431092B1; DE69002592T2; AU5653290A; CA2033177A1; US5195436A; DE69002592D1

Abstract

Un procédé pour le soudage en continu de tronçons (3) de rail ferroviaire en cours de pose, dans lequel une rame (5-5') spécialement équipée, composée par un ou plusieurs wagons (5, 5') au plan de charge surbaissé, est insérée dans le train opérateur, entre les wagons (1) qui portent les nouveaux tronçons de rail (3) et les nouvelles traverses (2), et la machine opératrice qui en fait la pose, et sur cette rame équipée (5-5') sont effectuées les opérations d'alignement, de nivellement et d'aboutement des tronçons successifs de rail (3), et leur soudage, moyennant des machines soudeuses (15-17) mouvant sur un chariot (8) le long de la rame (5-5'), les opérations de soudage étant effectuées pendant une course du chariot (8) avec les machines soudeuses (15-17) dans le sens opposé au sens d'avancement du train opérateur, et ladite course de soudage étant ensuite compensée par une course de retour du chariot (8) avec les machines soudeuses (15-17) dans le même sens de l'avancement du train opérateur, de sorte que toute l'opération de soudage est effectuée sur le train opérateur lui-même et la pose est effectuée par la machine opératrice correspondante sur des rails désormais continus.A process for the continuous welding of sections (3) of railway rail during laying, in which a specially equipped train (5-5 '), composed by one or more wagons (5, 5') with a lowered load plane , is inserted in the operator train, between the wagons (1) which carry the new sections of rail (3) and the new sleepers (2), and the operating machine which installs them, and on this equipped train (5- 5 ') are carried out the operations of alignment, leveling and abutment of the successive sections of rail (3), and their welding, by means of welding machines (15-17) moving on a carriage (8) along the train (5-5 '), the welding operations being carried out during a stroke of the carriage (8) with the welding machines (15-17) in the direction opposite to the direction of advancement of the operator train, and said welding stroke being then compensated by a return stroke of the carriage (8) with the welding machines (15-17) in the same direction of travel of the train operator, so that the entire welding operation is carried out on the operator train itself and the installation is carried out by the corresponding operating machine on rails which are now continuous.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WELDING OF RAIL SECTIONS, AND OAR EQUIPPED FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION

TECHNICAL FIELD The subject of the present invention is a process for the continuous welding of sections of railway rail during laying, and a train specially equipped for the implementation of this process.

PRIOR ART

According to the conventional way of laying the rail tracks, sections of rail, generally coming from the manufacturing plant in lengths of 36 meters, are welded one end of the other until '' to form sections of 144 meters, which are transported to the installation site. Here, after having been brought into position by means of an operator train, the sections are welded one at the end of the other until they form definitive lengths of 288 meters, 432 meters, or other fixed length. Welding is carried out by an electrical spark-ignition process, or else by an aluminothermic process, on the rails already laid. The sections of rail to be laid were traditionally placed on the ground next to the railway line, but it is already known by improvements previously carried by the same applicant to load sections to the length of 144 meters on special wagons. cials, on which the sleepers are also loaded, and which are equipped with guides for a gantry crane, which is used for transporting the sleepers to be laid and, possibly, the old carried crossings. The rails are loaded in a position below the sleeper load, and either the rails or the sleepers are fed to a special machine forming part of the operator train, which provides for the laying of new sleepers and rails, if necessary take the old sleepers and rails to be replaced, and possibly also to perform other operations. However, the welding operation of the sections of rail already laid in operation must be carried out using a spark welding machine installed on a special rail vehicle which works following the operator train, and such a machine is expensive and demand of the attendant staff. In addition, non-simple operations, special equipment and the corresponding specialized manpower are necessary to align and level the ends of the rails to be welded and to maintain the ends of the rails being laid pushed against the ends of the rail sections. already laid. It is also necessary to temporarily disassemble the crosspieces (and then to mount again) a certain number of support plates, as well as the corresponding fixing pins, which are located in the region in which the work head is to work. the welding machine.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to make the process more rational by which the rail sections being laid are welded to the rail sections already laid, so as to considerably reduce the costs for the necessary equipment and to limit the manpower required and the preparation work.

To this end, the invention proposes to insert into the operator train, between the wagons which carry the new rail sections and the new sleepers, and the machine which installs them, a specially equipped train, and d '' on this fitted train the alignment, leveling and abutment operations of successive sections of rail, and their welding, so that the whole cycle of operations relating to welding is carried out on the train the operator himself and the installation is carried out by the corresponding machine on now continuous rails. Preferably the welding of the rail sections is carried out by means of welding machines moving along the equipped train, the operations welding operations being carried out during a relative stroke of the welding machines with respect to the train, in the direction opposite to the direction of advancement of the operator train, and said welding stroke then being compensated by a return stroke of the machines welders compared to the fitted train, in the same direction of the advancement of the operator train. In consideration of this way of proceeding, all the preparation work and any alignment, leveling, abutment and welding operation, successive to laying the rails, are avoided, and all the operations take place on board the operator train, and therefore with the help of all appropriate equipment to make these operations easier, fair and protected. In particular, it is no longer necessary to use a welding machine installed on a special railway vehicle which works after the operator train, thus avoiding the high cost price of such a machine and the labor required for its operation, as well as said disassembly and reassembly operations of a number of support plates and fixing pins in the welding region.

The equipped train intended to allow the implementation of the process according to the invention comprises one or more wagons with a lowered load plane, which carry welding machines capable of carrying out mutual welding of the ends put into contact with the rail sections.

Preferably, said equipped train comprises: first lateral guides for the passage of a gantry crane for the transport of sleepers; second guides, having a narrower spacing from that of said first guides; and a self-propelled carriage moving on said second guides and carrying the welding machines.

In particular, said welding machines can each include a welding head and a generator group for its supply. The carriage can be provided with telescopic arms with gripping jaws for carrying out the gripping and abutment operations, and even of first alignment and approximate leveling of the successive sections of rail to be welded. Hydraulic jaws can- wind be provided to automatically perform the alignment and the final leveling of the rail sections to be welded.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics indicated and others, and the advantages of the objects of the present invention, will emerge more clearly from the following description of a preferred embodiment, however having the character of a nonlimiting example, of part of an operator train equipped according to the invention, schematically represented in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 and 2, to be considered as one constituting the prosecution of the other, show on an extremely reduced scale and in an extremely schematic manner part of an operator train comprising, with known components, the train fitted according to the 'invention;

Fig.3 shows in side view the front part of a train fitted according to the invention, attached following a wagon for the transport of rails and sleepers, forming part of an operator train;

Fig.4, which should be considered as the continuation of Figure 3, similarly shows the rear part of the first wagon of the train fitted according to the invention, articulated with a second wagon which follows it, also forming part equipped train; and

Figs.5 and 6, to be considered as one constituting the prosecution of the other, show in plan the same parts of the operator train shown respectively in Figures 3 and 4.

PREFERRED WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The operator train shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a wagon 1 (known) carrying the materials to be placed and on which, in the configuration shown, is a gantry crane 20 (also known), an equipped train (according to the invention), in this case composed of two wagons 5 and 5 *, and an operating machine 21 (known) which carries the old rails 0 on which the wagons 1, 5, 5 'and the front part of the same operating machine 21, which installs the new welded rails 3, and which performs any other planned operation, such as for example the removal of the old sleepers on which the old rails 0 were placed, and the laying of new sleepers on which the new rails are placed 3.

Referring first to Figures 3 and 5, the number 1 designates said wagon, in itself known, rolling on the rails 0 to be renewed, carrying the materials to be laid, that is to say new sleepers 2 and sections of rail 3. The same wagon 1 in another region, or else other wagons (not shown) arranged in front of it, can also receive the old materials taken away, if an operation to remove the old materials is also carried out by the train operator . The wagon 1 is provided laterally, in a known manner, with guides 4 intended to be traversed by the gantry crane 20 (known per se and shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1). The crane 20 periodically transports the new sleepers to be laid from the wagon 1 to the operating machine 21 (shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2) located further back in the operating train. Where appropriate, the same crane 20 also carries towards the wagon 1 the old sleepers carried by the operating machine 21. In application of the invention, on the wagon 1 is hung an equipped train comprising a first wagon 5 in the lowered plane, rolling by bogies 6 on rails 0. Another identical 5 'wagon (Figures 4 and 6) supported on bogies 6', or also several other identical wagons (not shown), can follow wagon 5 when the lon - the size of the latter is not sufficient to authorize the operational races necessary for the effects of the invention. The wagon 5 is provided with first lateral guides 4, identical and corresponding to the guides 4 of the wagon 1, to allow the rolling of the portal gue 20 already mentioned. On the wagon 5 are also installed second guides 7, the spacing of which is smaller than that of the first guides 4, and which preferably are located below the first guides 4. In the case where several wagons 5, 5 'and so on are provided for constitute the equipped train, one must ensure between them the continuity of the second guides 7, and moreover one must ensure, either between them, or with respect to the preceding and following wagons in the operator train, the continuity of the first guides 4. On the guides 7 of the equipped train is mounted, rolling by means of groups of wheels 9, a carriage (preferably self-propelled) 8. Near the front end of the carriage 8 is installed an operating station 10, in which an operator single can control all operations directly or indirectly related to the welding of rail sections. On the carriage 8 are mounted and articulated two arms 11, extensi¬ ble telescopically and hydraulically actuated, which end in jaws 12 and which can be oriented in height by means of hydraulic cylinders 13 and laterally by means of hydraulic cylinders 14. On the carriage 8 are also mounted two welding heads 15, each of which is preceded and followed by hydraulic jaws 16 arranged to align and level sections of rail. Preferably, guides 17 ′ are also provided which converge towards the front jaws 16 to facilitate the introduction of the rail sections 3 into said jaws. In consideration of the advisability of installing the electric power generators for the welding heads 15 as close as possible to them, it is preferable for the carriage 8 to still carry two generating sets 17 to provide to this supply, although these generators could also, if necessary, find a different arrangement in the train operator. Finally, any other suitable service device can be installed on the carriage 8.

Preferably, the entire fitted train is covered by a canopy 18 and is laterally protected by a net 19 (these parts being partially carried away in the figures in order to show the interior components of the train), so that all the operations are carried out sheltered from atmospheric agents and that the operators are also protected from the trains which may Roll on lines located side by side of the working line. The operation of the apparatus described, which carries out the method according to the invention, is as follows.

It is assumed that the carriage 8 is in the position shown, that is to say moved towards the anterior end of the first wagon 5 of the equipped train, and that a couple of rail sections already welded in advance of the rail sections during installation slides relative to wagon 5. This sliding of the rails relative to the train is due, in fact, to the fact that the operator train, and with it the train equipped with wagon 5, rolls on the rails 0, while the sections of rail 3 men¬ tioned, being already welded to the sections being laid and to the sections already laid, remain stationary relative to the ground and, consequently, move backwards with respect to the train.

The operator, in the operating station 10, actuates the telescopic arms 11 so as to grasp by the jaws 12 a couple of the sections of rail 3 loaded on the wagon 1, and he moves them so that they abut, and then remain abutted, against the abutments of rail sections already welded, during installation. This maneuver can be carried out preferably in a single phase, if it is done so that the length of the field of operation of the telescopic arms 11 and the arrangement of the rail sections 3 allow it; otherwise, in any case, the maneuver can be carried out by several phases of extension and withdrawal of the telescopic arms 11. The guides 17 'facilitate the direction of the new sections of rail 3 towards the anterior jaws 16. By means of appropriate markers, this operation is continued until the regions of separation between the ends of the rail sections 3 thus joined are in correspondence with the welding heads 15.

At this point the hydraulic jaws 16 are clamped and they pour¬ see to level and exactly align the butted rail sections. At the same time, these jaws temporarily secure the carriage 8 to the sections of rail welded during installation. The welding heads 15 can then be brought into the working position and put into operation for produce a spark between the ends of the sections of rail 3, which face each other, thus producing their fusion and their welding. This entails a displacement of the regions of conjunction, and therefore during this operation, the hydraulic jaws 16 must be loosened, so as to allow appropriate advancement of the sections of rail which they clamped. For their part, the jaws 12 of the telescopic arms can also be loosened, and the arms 11 can be released, being temporarily no longer necessary for their operation. Because by tightening the jaws 16 e by putting the welding heads 15 into operation, these parts and the carriage 8 which carries them have become integral with the sections of rail already welded and being laid, they follow the displacement relative to the equipped train, and therefore the entire carriage 8 moves towards the rear end of the operator train. This behavior continues until the welding in progress in the welding heads 15 is completed and the fon¬ du material has solidified; the time required for these operations can be, for example and typically, approximately 180 minutes seconds. After the required time the welding heads 15 can be deactivated and the rear jaws 16 can be loosened. Following these latter operations, the carriage 8 stops its withdrawal movement with respect to the fitted train, and it can be moved again forward to reach its advanced starting position, shown in the drawings. This return movement of the carriage 8 can be carried out by any preferred means, but it is advantageous that, for this purpose, the carriage 8 is self-propelled. When the carriage 8 has returned to its starting position, the cycle described may start again from the start to weld two new sections of rail 3.

The extent of movement of the carriage 8 relative to the equipped train depends on various factors, such as the speed of advancement of the operator train, the welding and cooling times and so on. If this extent of movement can be kept within the limits of the length allowed for a wagon 5 only, the equipped train may be constituted by this single wagon 5. However in certain cases it is necessary, or at least it is appropriate, to make use of several wagons 5, 5 'and so on, which follow one another in the train operator to constitute the fitted train. Alternatively, it is possible to accept slowing down or temporarily stopping the operator train during the execution of the welds.

Of course, when the welds have been carried out, the weld regions are still machined in a well-known manner, by removing the metal that has been turned off by tools and then by grinding and correcting the profile of the rail head. These operations can be carried out by apparatus (not shown) arranged in appropriate positions on the equipped train, before routing the rails to the laying members of the laying machine 21.

The action of the hydraulic jaws 16 makes it possible to automatically level and align the rail sections, thus achieving in a reduced time more perfect results than those usually obtained on the rails in operation after relatively long and difficult operations. The execution of the welds in the tê¬ your welders 15 provided for this purpose can take place under conditions and by methods more perfect than those that can be applied to the rails laid in use. The process according to the present invention can be advantageously combined with a thermal regulation process, and in this case the rails laid can be fixed to the sleepers immediately after the passage of the operator train, because no intervention is required anymore. on these rails. Although the welding equipment installed on the carriage 8 can be more advanced than that usually used, its cost price is nevertheless much lower than that of a spark-welding machine installed on a special railway vehicle for working on raila already posed. Finally, the use of labor is drastically reduced.

Due to the use of the method according to the invention and its implementation by means of the equipped train, which also constitutes an object of . _1Q .

the invention, it is therefore possible to simplify, organize better and make more economical the operations of laying welded rails, reducing the costs of equipment and labor and ensuring the obtaining of technically more perfect results. The provision of the carriage 8 carrying the welding machines authorizes the execution of all the operations relating to welding without slowing down or stopping the operator train, or at least by limiting the slowing down and the stopping periods, but it must be understood whereas the invention can also be implemented in a simplified manner if it is agreed to stop the operating train during the welding period or during part of this period; in this case the welding machines can be installed directly on the equipped train and it is not necessary to provide a mobile carriage.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, the various modifications indicated and other, and any replacement of technically equivalent means, can be carried out in the field of claims.

POSSIBILITIES OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The invention can be applied in general in all industrial operations for the production or / and renewal of railways which include the laying of rail sections intended to be welded to the rail sections already laid previously.

Claims

1. Process for the continuous welding of sections of railway rail during laying, characterized in that it comprises the operations of inserting into an operator train comprising wagons (1) which carry new sections of rail (3) and new sleepers (2), and an operating machine (21) which installs it, between said wafons (1) and said operating machine (21), a specially equipped train (5-5 '), and performing on this fitted train (5-5 ') the alignment, leveling and abutment operations between successive sections of rail (3), and their welding, so that the whole cycle of operations relating to welding is carried out on the operator train itself and installation is carried out by the operating machine (21) on rails which are now continuous.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said welding operation is carried out by means of welding machines (15- -17) moving along said equipped train (5-5 '), the welding operations being carried out during a stroke of the welding machines in the direction opposite to the direction of advancement of the operator train, and said welding stroke then being compensated by a return stroke of the welding machines in the same direction of advancement of the operator train.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes the use of means (11-14) for picking up and moving the new sections of rail (3) to be welded for transporting the wagon (1) which door to the fitted train (5-5 ') and for their abutment in relation to the sections of rail already welded.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes the use of hydraulic jaws (16) arranged to automatically align and level the rail sections (3) before the welding machines are put into operation ( 15-17).

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes the execution, on board of the equipped train (5-5 ') and before the delivery, of all the mechanical operations necessary on the regions of the rail sections (3) on which the welds have been made.

6. Fitted train intended to allow the implementation of a process according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises one or more wagons (5,5 ') with a lowered load plane, and welding machines (15-17) , installed on said wagons (5.5 '), capable of performing the mutual welding of ends put in contact with sections of rail.

7. Rowed train according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises: first lateral guides (4) for the passage of a gantry crane (20) for the transport of sleepers (2); secon¬ side guides (7), having a smaller differenceemeπt than that of said first guides (4); and a carriage (8) moving on said second guides (7) and carrying said welding machines (15-17).

8. Train fitted according to claim 7, characterized in that said carriage (8) is self-propelled.

9. Ream equipped according to claim 6, characterized in that said welding machines (15-17) each comprise a spark-welding head (15) and a generator group (17) for its supply.

10. Train fitted according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises telescopic arms (11), these telescopic arms having jaws (12) for gripping to carry out the gripping and abutment operations, and possibly of first alignment and approximate leveling, of successive sections (3) of rail to be welded.

11. Ream equipped according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises hydraulic jaws (16), arranged before and after said welding machines (15), provided for automatically carrying out the alignment and the final leveling of sections of rail (3) welding.

12. An equipped train as claimed in claim 11, in which the welding machines (15) are installed on a mobile carriage (8), characterized in that at least part of said hydraulic jaws (16) also has the function to make said carriage (8) integral with rail sections (3) already welded during installation.

13. A train set according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a canopy (18) for covering and protecting apparatus and operators, and a lateral net (19) for protection with respect to railway tracks located next to it. .