EP1741831A1 - Machine for correction and stabilisation of the position of railway track - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has front and rear machine chassis (4a, 4b) coupled by a connecting unit with variable length. The chassis (4a) has a front movable chassis (6a) with tamping packers (7) creating, by tamping of a ballast (3), compact ballast pillars defining a desired positioning of a railway track (2). Compacting tools (12) are arranged for compacting the ballast arranged between sleepers (13). The chassis (4b) has a double lateral compacting device (14) for simultaneously treating shoulders of the sleepers. A measurement and control device controls the length along a position of the chassis (6a).

Description

The invention relates to a machine for grinding the position of a railway track resting on ballast, comprising various compaction tools arranged so that the entire ballast bed is compacted.

To correct the defects of the geometry of the layout of a railway track resting on ballast, there are universally widespread machines called "tampers": they proceed crosswise by traverse, or by two or more sleepers at a time, by grasping the way by means of clamps to raise it, generally a few centimeters, to a set height (leveling operation) and to position said track transversely at the desired location (training or shifting operation), while jamming tips create, under each crossbar and in the support region of each rail line, pillars by vibratory compression and ballast tightening, pillars of highly compacted ballast on which the sleepers come to rest. The accuracy of the mechanical stuffing operations depends on the accuracy of the new course of the track and the strength of the ballast pillars that hold it.

However, the jamming of a lane has the inevitable consequence of the rise, even a small one, of the lane relative to the ballast bed: the lane thus slightly out of its gangue of stones becomes a little more unstable, in the sense that its new positioning is weakened.

1. 1. Par exemple le document DE 199 15 751 A1 (dépôt du 8.04.1999) déplore que les bourreuses ne traitent que le ballast situé sous la portion de traverse supportant les rails, la zone médiane de la traverse restant de façon désavantageuse non-travaillée ("nachteiligerweise unbearbeitet") et prescrit en conséquence le bourrage de cette zone médiane (voir la revendication 1). Il en va de même du document EP 1 069 240 A1 , qui propose le déplacement transversal des pioches de bourrage de manière que cette zone médiane puisse être bourrée.
2. 2. En 1935 déjà, le brevet américain W.P. Day No 2'070'260 proposait de faire vibrer « rapidement et violemment » la zone centrale des traverses (voir la colonne 1, lignes 24 et 25).
3. 3. D'autres documents, tels DE 42 18 716 A1 (12.06.1991 ), proposent de bourrer le ballast situé aux extrémités des traverses par des pioches de bourrage latérales exerçant le compactage par serrage transversal du ballast (revendications 1 et 2, spécialement fig. 2). Les pics de bourrage latéraux servent dès lors au compactage du ballast dans la "zone en bout de traverse" (demande de brevet français 2'677'678 , voir la revendication 1).
4. 4. Le document DE 42 18 716 A1 propose de placer le dispositif de bourrage latéral ou transversal immédiatement devant le châssis mobile de bourrage longitudinal classique (voir la figure 1 et la revendication 3).
5. 5. Le document EP 1 149 951 A2 propose également de bourrer le ballast se trouvant aux extrémités des traverses (voir la colonne 1, paragraphe No 0003).

To consolidate the seating and maintenance of the track repositioned by the stuffing, many proposals have been made in the state of the art.

1. 1. For example the document DE 199 15 751 A1 (Deposition of 8.04.1999) regrets that the tampers only treat the ballast located under the cross-section portion supporting the rails, the median zone of the sleeper remaining disadvantageously unworked (" nachteiligerweise unbearbeitet ") and therefore prescribes the stuffing of this middle zone (see claim 1). The same goes for the document EP 1 069 240 A1 , which proposes the transverse displacement of the stuffing paws so that this median zone can be stuffed.
2. 2. Already in 1935, WP Day No. 2'070'260 proposed to vibrate "rapidly and violently" the central area of sleepers (see Column 1, lines 24 and 25).
3. 3. Other documents, such as DE 42 18 716 A1 (12.06.1991 ), propose to stuff the ballast located at the ends of the crosspieces by lateral tamping drills exerting the transverse clamping compacting of the ballast (claims 1 and 2, especially FIG 2). The lateral stuffing peaks therefore serve to compact the ballast in the "end-of-traverse zone" (patent application French 2'677'678 see claim 1).
4. 4. The document DE 42 18 716 A1 proposes placing the lateral or transverse tamping device immediately in front of the conventional longitudinal longitudinal tamping frame (see Figure 1 and Claim 3).
5. 5. The document EP 1 149 951 A2 also proposes to stuff the ballast at the ends of the sleepers (see column 1, paragraph No. 0003).

According to the Applicant, the above-mentioned solutions have only disadvantages. By creating a third compacted ballast pillar located under the central zone of each cross, for example, the so-called "central" jamming only destroys the accuracy of the repositioning of the track obtained by tamping the ballast located under each rail line. ; and even if this inconvenience could be eliminated, the sleepers, each placed on three pillars of ballast called sooner or later to some degradation by the effect of the weight of the track, the loads of the traffic and bad weather, would be tilted to left or right in case the central ballast pillar settles less quickly than a left or right ballast pillar, and there is a wobbly railroad, in obvious contradiction with the purpose of the position of railroad tracks.

The same applies to transverse tamping, which only prestresses the ballast perpendicular to the axis of the track, which is obviously detrimental to tamping operations. conventional tightening of tamping paws in the axis of the track, compaction obtained by clamping tools separated by 200 centimeters of ballast (corresponding to the length of a cross) can only assume a disruptive and random, at the detrimental to the fluidity of the surrounding ballast necessary for a good conventional stuffing in the longitudinal axis of the track. As for the case where this transverse stuffing would be performed after or at the same time as said conventional stuffing, it would create additional ballast pillars at the expense of the strength and accuracy of the grinding obtained by this conventional stuffing.

For similar reasons, it appears that the many proposals in the state of the art that tend to "stabilize" the path after jamming, for example those described in the documents EP 0616077 A1 , EP 0887464 , US 4248155 , US 4430946 , FR 2498653 A1 etc. are disadvantageous.

The operation of "stabilization" can certainly provide an immediate improvement in the seating of the track, particularly in the transverse direction, since precisely this stabilization reinserts into the ballast the way that the stuffing had just emerged.

Now the stabilization devices by vibratory depression of the sleepers in the ballast, by lowering the level of the track, have the disadvantage of partially destroying the pillars of ballast stuffed just created under each rail line. In addition, these devices do not treat the ballast that is not located under the sleepers. Finally, stabilization by depressing the track in the ballast is supposed to simulate the effect that real traffic loads would have on the track, according to predetermined degradation parameters. This traffic load artificially created by the stabilization operation can therefore only shorten the useful life of the correct maintenance of the track, and thus tend to increase the frequency of the necessary interviews.

There are, in the state of the art, machines whose specific purpose, with or without the addition of additional ballast, of compacting the ballast located outside the area of the track included here as the entire rail-rails . For example documents CH 684 420 A5 or DE 38 14 732 C2 .

The document EP 786 556 B1 proposes to combine under the same machine frame tools "hammering" and compacting tools, according to a heavy and complex organization that provides that each vibrating tool is supported by its own slider slidable on inclined guides and "submitted to the "action" of a displacement cylinder and that each hammer tool is movable along its own advancement path and that the respective feed paths "are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the vertical so that said paths intersect each other under each track cross member at an imaginary point which can be varied at will "(see column 16, claim 1).

But all these compaction machines, regardless of their actual efficiency, have the major disadvantage that they are called upon to intervene at work sites after stuffing sites. They therefore require additional logistics and personnel. In addition, their deferred intervention has the consequence that the track previously repositioned by a tamping machine during a previous site may have suffered, in the meantime, stresses or deformations undetected at the final compaction site. Finally, the concept of "stabilization" as it appears from the aforementioned documents aims to exclude, at least in part, compaction as proposed by the present invention. The need or even the utility of tamping-compaction has also been seriously questioned. The document DE 34 09 852 C2 for example, exposes (see column 2) the high resistance exerted by the ballast bed when diving tamping tools, which can reach several tons when "the ballast is heavily compressed" or when the mobile chassis are equipped with a large number of picks, for example 16 picks or stuffing peaks (see column 2, line 8).

The large number of particular and partial solutions proposed in the state of the art to solve the problem of the precise positioning and the durable stability of railway tracks illustrates the difficulty of reconciling the conflicting criteria of precision and strength. In fact, no document of the state of the art offers a global solution and completed.

Accordingly, the object of the invention is to improve the machines known in the state of the art.

More particularly, the object of the invention is to create a single railway construction machine that ensures maximum accuracy in the repositioning operations of the track and, once the exact position of said track obtained, ensure immediate consolidation and permanent maintenance, without any additional work being necessary to achieve them.

The solution is provided by the machine as defined in claim 1 of the present application.

• économie d'investissement, dès lors qu'une seule machine assure l'ensemble des opérations de repositionnement de la voie et de consolidation du lit de ballast la supportant ;
• économie de frais de chantier, par la diminution de personnel nécessaire ;
• qualité augmentée du repositionnement de la voie, dès lors que le compactage final se produit pendant les opérations de repositionnement : il peut-être tenu compte de l'influence du compactage final dans le calcul des valeurs de consigne du relevage et du ripage de la voie ;
• solidité immédiatement augmentée du lit de ballast, avec protection quasi instantanée des piliers de bourrage venant d'être constitués ;
• compactage de l'intégralité du lit de ballast, et par conséquent obtention immédiate du maximum de qualité possible en ce qui concerne l'ancrage, l'assise et la solidité de la voie ferrée traitée.

The advantages provided by the invention are numerous:

• economy of investment, since only one machine ensures all the operations of repositioning the track and consolidation of the ballast bed supporting it;
• saving on construction costs by reducing the number of staff required;
• increased quality of track repositioning, since final compaction occurs during repositioning operations: the influence of final compaction may be taken into account in the calculation of set point values for lane lift and lane shifting ;
• immediately increased strength of the ballast bed, with almost instantaneous protection of newly formed tamping pillars;
• compaction of the entire ballast bed, and therefore immediate attainment of the maximum possible quality with respect to the anchorage, the foundation and the strength of the treated railway.

• La Figure 1 représente de façon schématique une première forme d'exécution de l'invention.
• La Figure 2 montre, en coupe transversale par rapport à l'axe de la voie, la position des outils de compactage du châssis de machine arrière.
• La Figure 3 montre, également en coupe transversale, les piliers de ballast créés par les pioches de bourrage ainsi que les zones d'intervention des autres outils de compactage. Il va sans dire que, autour des piliers figurant en noir, le compactage se propage bien au-delà des zones hachurées, lesquelles représentent la place occupée par les outils, de sorte que l'intégralité du lit de ballast est compactée.
• La Figure 4 montre, en plan, la totalité des zones traitées lors d'une phase de travail.
• La Figure 5 montre, de profil, les zones respectives occupées par les piliers de ballast bourré et les outils de compactage inter-traverses.
• La Figure 6 illustre un deuxième mode d'exécution de la machine selon l'invention.
• La Figure 7 illustre un troisième mode d'exécution de la machine selon l'invention.

The invention will be better understood by the description of embodiments thereof and the figures relating thereto in which:

• Figure 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 shows, in cross-section with respect to the axis of the track, the position of the compacting tools of the rear machine frame.
• Figure 3 shows, also in cross-section, the ballast piers created by the tamping paws as well as the areas of intervention of the other compaction tools. It goes without saying that, around the pillars in black, the compaction spreads well beyond the hatched areas, which represent the space occupied by the tools, so that the entire ballast bed is compacted.
• Figure 4 shows, in plan, all the areas treated during a work phase.
• Figure 5 shows, in profile, the respective areas occupied by the pillars of stuffed ballast and inter-cross compaction tools.
• Figure 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the machine according to the invention.
• Figure 7 illustrates a third embodiment of the machine according to the invention.

The first embodiment of the machine according to the invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In this, the machine 1 for correcting the position of a railway track 2 disposed on a ballast 3 comprises a front frame 4a and a rear frame 4b. These two frames 4a and 4b are connected by a connecting member 11, said connecting member having a variable length which is telescopically adjustable by a hydraulic control, for example. Other known means can of course be envisaged.

The front frame 4a and the rear frame 4b respectively rest on an axle or on a front bogie 5a and on a rear axle or bogie 5b, on an axle or on a front bogie 5c and on a rear axle or bogie 5d.

More particularly, the front frame 4a comprises, in a central zone, a mobile frame 6a movable both vertically and transversely with respect to the axis of the track. and longitudinally in the axis of the track 2. This mobile frame 6a comprises jamming pencils 7 which are intended to create, by tamping the ballast 7a located under at least one cross during a working phase, or under two sleepers (Zones 7a and 7b, see FIGS. 1 and 5) simultaneously during a working phase when the mobile frame 6a makes it possible to treat the ballast 7a, 7b under two sleepers simultaneously, compacted ballast pillars 8 (see FIG. 3) which define the desired positioning of channel 2.

These pillars 8 are located on either side of each rail line, excluding the ballast located under the central zone 9 of each cross member and excluding the ballast zones 10 located at the ends of each crossmember.

The rear frame 4b, which is connected to the front frame 4a by the connecting member 11, comprises in its central part compaction tools 12 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which are implemented by a rear movable frame 6b which is movable vertically, transversely and longitudinally relative to the axis of the track 2 and relative to the rear frame 4b. These compaction tools 12 are arranged so as to be able to compact the ballast located in the zones 13 between the crosspieces (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the compaction can be carried out simultaneously in two inter-cross zones 13a and 13b while the jamming carried out by the picks 7 of the front movable frame 6a takes place under a single cross member in the zone 7a, as shown in Figure 4.

In a variant, the compacting can be carried out simultaneously in four inter-cross areas 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d while the stuffing is carried out by the picks 7 under two crosspieces simultaneously in the zones 7a and 7b.

In addition, the rear machine frame 4b is provided with a double lateral compacting device 14 of the ballast shoulder 15a and 15b which is disposed at each end of the cross members (see FIGS. 1 to 4). Preferably, this lateral compacting device 14 is designed to simultaneously process the shoulders of at least two or four sleepers during a work phase.

Finally, the machine comprises a measuring and control device which automatically slaves the length of the connecting member 11 according to the position of the front movable frame 6a. The means necessary for producing such a measuring and control device are known as such from the state of the art.

Preferably, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the front axle or bogie 5a is made in the form of a roller support 16 suspended on an overall chassis 22 of the machine 1 and the axle or bogie Rear 5d of the rear machine frame 4b is also in the form of a roller support 17 suspended on the machine 1.

In the embodiment of Figure 6, an excess ballast distribution device consisting of an equalizer plow 18 and a brush 19 is suspended from the assembly frame 22, the front of the rear movable frame 6b.

According to another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, at the front of the rear mobile chassis 6b, an excess ballast distribution device harvested by an equalizing plow 18 and by a brush 19 is suspended from the assembly frame 22, said harvested ballast being conveyed by a conveyor 20 and accumulated in a silo 21 to be dispensed at will before the compacting operations performed by the compaction tools 12 and 14.

Preferably, the machine is formed in such a way that the compaction tools 12 of the zones 13 located between the crosspieces make it possible to process, during the same work phase, a number of said double zones of the number of crosspieces processed simultaneously by the chassis picks. movable front 6a, as shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7.

Preferably, the compaction tools 12 of the ballast zone 13a, 13b situated between the crosspieces and the rails are constructed so as to compact each slightly less than half of the inter-cross and inter-rail surface 13a, 13b, so that the compacted ballast of said zone comes to reinforce the lateral resistance of the inner tamping pillars 8 created by the jamming piers 7. Such a construction can be achieved by an elongated size of the internal tools (located inside the rails) of compaction 12 so that the inter-crosses and inter-rails central box 13a is substantially treated over its entire surface.

Explanation of some terms and expressions

By railroad, one understands the set formed by the rails fixed to the sleepers, excluding the ballast.

The ballast is composed of pebbles or stones with the composition, dimensions and shapes defined by the railway administrations so that this ballast can be treated as a fluid when it is not compacted (for example for transport and adjustment) and that it can form a mass more or less solid depending on the compaction force.

A working phase is the period of time during which the compaction tools treat the same ballast zone, ie without longitudinal displacement of the machine frames.

All types of compacting tools are implemented by well-known engine vibration system (tampers, snow groomers, compactors, etc.) and provide a variable, adjustable and adapted ballast clamping force. to each situation and area to be treated.

The preparation of the tamping pillars assumes that the way is previously grasped by rail clamps, not shown in the drawings, clamps whose servo to a measuring system ensures the desired positioning of the track. (See the second paragraph of this presentation)

Claims (6)

Machine (1) for rectifying the position of a railway track (2) disposed on a ballast (3), provided with a running gear on axles and / or on bogies, of an overall chassis ( 22) articulated or not, lifting and shifting members of the track (2) and ballast compaction means,
characterized in that the machine (1) is arranged to be able to reposition the track (2) and compact the entire ballast (3) supporting and maintaining said track,
in that said machine (1) comprises a front machine frame (4a) connected to a rear machine frame (4b),
in that the front machine frame (4a) rests on an axle or on a front bogie (5a) and on an axle or on a rear bogie (5b),
in that the front frame (4a) is provided, in its central area, with a front movable frame (6a) displaceable both vertically and transversely with respect to the axis of the track, as well as along the axis of the way,
in that the front movable frame (6a) comprises stuffing dies (7) intended to create, by tamping the ballast located under a cross member (7a) at least per working phase, respectively under two crosspieces per working phase when the mobile frame makes it possible to treat the ballast under two sleepers simultaneously (7a and 7b), compacted ballast pillars (7a) defining the desired positioning of the track (2) and located on either side of each line of rails (8) ), excluding the ballast located under the central area of each ferry (9) and excluding the ballast areas at the ends of each ferry (10),
in that the front frame (4a) of the machine is coupled to the rear machine frame (4b) by a telescopically hydraulically adjustable length-adjustable linkage (11),
in that the rear machine frame (4b) rests on an axle or on a front bogie (5c) and on an axle or on a rear bogie (5d) between which compacting tools are arranged (12) implemented by a rear movable frame (6b), which is displaceable vertically, transversely and longitudinally with respect to the axis of the track and relative to the rear machine frame (4b),
the compacting tools (12) being arranged in such a way that the ballast located in the zone between the crosspieces (13) is compacted,
in that said compacting (12) is carried out simultaneously in two inter-cross areas (13a and 13b) while the stuffing made by the picks (7) of the front movable frame (6a) is exerted under a single cross member in the zone 7a,
or in that said compacting (12) is carried out simultaneously in four inter-cross zones (13d, 13a, 13b, 13c) while the jamming performed by the picks (7) is exerted under two sleepers simultaneously in the zones 7a and 7b,
in that the rear machine frame (4b) is provided with a double device for lateral compacting (14) of the ballast shoulder disposed at each end of the crosspieces (15a and 15b),
said lateral compacting device (14) being designed to simultaneously process the shoulders of at least two or four sleepers during a work phase,
and in that a measuring and control device automatically slaves the length of the connecting member (11) according to the position of the front movable frame (6a). Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the front axle or bogie (5a) is constructed as a roller support (16) suspended from the overall chassis (22) of the machine (1) and in that rear axle or bogie (5d) of the rear machine frame (4b) is constructed as a roller support (17) suspended from the machine (1). Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, at the front of the rear mobile chassis (6b), is suspended from the overall chassis (22) an excess ballast distribution device composed of an equalizing plow (18) and a brush (19). Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that , at the front of the rear movable frame (6b), is suspended from the overall frame (22) a surplus ballast distribution device harvested by an equalizing plow (18) and by a brush (19), said harvested ballast being conveyed by a conveyor (20) and accumulated in a silo (21) and dispensable at will before compaction operations (12 and 14). Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tools for compacting the zones situated between the crosspieces (13) make it possible to process, during the same work phase, a number of said zones double the number of crosspieces treated. simultaneously by the picks of the front mobile chassis (6a). Machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the compaction tools (12) of the ballast zone (13a, 13b) situated between the sleepers and the rails are constructed in such a way as to compress each a little less than half of the inter-cross and inter-rail surface (13a, 13b), so that the compacted ballast of said zone reinforces the lateral resistance of the inner tamping pillars (8) created by the jamming picks (7).

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