EP2099971B1 - Railway joint connection arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A joint connector for the lower flanges of adjoining running rails is assembled from two abutment pieces that each is seated in a lower flange of a respective rail that forms the joint. By use of centering devices, the correctly aligned positioning of the two abutment pieces is assured, wherein the abutment pieces transfer their aligned positioning to the lower flanges that meet each other without offset at the joint and the positioning cannot be negatively affected by transverse forces. The connection also provides a positive-fit in a transverse direction of the rails. Another joint connector arrangement connects the two running rails in the region of the top side. Abutment pieces in this case are seated as riders on a support rib and are connected to each other by tension rods.

Description

In loft-free vehicles, the cats of the hoists run on rails that are suspended from the ceiling. For short distances undivided rails can be used. For longer distances the rails must be shared for assembly and manufacturing reasons. This creates the problem to connect the individual rail sections at the joints, so that the chassis come smoothly over the rail joint.

The butt connector assembly which bridges the rail joint must also transfer the bending forces / moments introduced on one side of the joint from the trolley into the rail via the rail joint to the other rail. Otherwise, a significant height offset would occur in the area of the rail joint.

A lateral offset is also undesirable because it can get caught in this part of the landing gear or against the resulting step abut side guide wheels.

The rails of floor-free vehicles usually have an approximately I-shaped cross-sectional profile, the upper and lower belt for weight and stability reasons is usually designed as a hollow chamber profile. On the web connecting the two straps, no connecting devices can be mounted. The web is often used as a substructure for sliding ladder.

From the DE 34 01 183 A1 a rail joint connection arrangement for overhead conveyors is known. The running rail consists here of two roll-shaped halves together, with the gap between the two rail parts through the middle of the web. Thus, each half of the rail carries half of the upper belt and one half of the lower belt.

A continuous gap remains in the area of the top flange, while the halves are rolled inwards in the area of the bottom flange.

In the upper flange sits a butt connector assembly consisting of two abutment pieces, which are bolted together via a clamping screw. In the lower chord, in each chamber created by the rolled-up profile, tabs which bridge the shock and are fixed in the chamber on either side of the joint by screws acting as dowel pins.

A disadvantage of this construction is that in the lower flange no biasing forces can be generated transversely to the parting plane of the joint.

On the upper belt, the abutment pieces available there do not permit adequate lateral centering. The centering by the clamping screw is usually not enough. In the area of the upper belt, this is relatively uncritical because no wheels of Katzfahrwerken run over it. The use of such a construction in the region of the lower flange would not be sufficient, since the centering or the correct position fixing of the two rail ends is not adequately ensured at the joint.

Based on this, it is an object of the invention to provide a Schienenstoßverbinderanordnung, which is improved over the prior art.

This object is achieved by a Schienenstoßverbinderanordnung with the features of claim 1 for the lower flange and by a splint connector assembly with the features of claim 20 for the upper flange.

In the buckle connector assembly for the lower flange, two abutment pieces are provided, which are inserted into the lower flange designed as a hollow profile. Thus sits on both sides of the rail joint each abutment piece in the lower flange and is secured there in the axial direction. Each abutment piece shows a pointing in the direction of the rail joint end face. In the area of the two end faces, the abutment pieces are provided with centering means which ensure a precisely aligned alignment of the abutment pieces, independently of the clamping means. The remaining misalignment of the rail joint is thus reduced to the side play, which have the abutment pieces in the lower flange.

Further, clamping means are provided to bias the two abutment pieces against each other. As a result, any joint on the rail joint in the region of the lower flange can be avoided. The tread of the rail is thus smoothly continuous. The wear of the wheels of the trolley is reduced to a minimum and not degraded by the rail impact.

Advantageously, the two abutment pieces can be equal to one another. The cross section of the abutment piece is adapted to the cross section of the cavity in the lower flange. Preferably, the abutment piece has the shape of a cuboid with two mutually parallel side surfaces and two mutually parallel end surfaces.

If the rail is made of a roll-formed sheet metal part, the corners of the cavity in the lower flange are strongly rounded. It is therefore expedient if the abutment piece has chamfered edges.

For anchoring the abutment piece in the lower chord, the abutment piece contains at least two holes in the side surfaces. The holes can be designed as flat countersunk threaded holes. The holes can be a blind hole or the two holes are made as a through hole.

The attachment means for anchoring the abutment piece in the lower chord may include pins adapted to be inserted through the side wall of the lower chord into the aperture of the abutment piece.

The pins may be screws, namely around studs or capscrews. They are over an amount on the flank surface of the abutment piece, which is not greater than the wall thickness of the rails in this area. As a result, a positive fastening of the abutment piece is achieved in the lower flange, while on the other hand, no parts protrude laterally beyond the lower flange.

The centering means are very easy to produce in terms of production when it comes to centering holes and dowel pins. The abutment pieces are therefore very simple and accurate to produce on NC machines. Complicated milling work is eliminated.

The centering means may comprise in each end face of an abutment piece a bore and a press-fitted dowel pin such that in the free fitting bore of the abutment piece of the pressed-in dowel pin of the other abutment piece is insertable and vice versa. As a tensioning means, each abutment piece may comprise a continuous through-bore.

To the clamping means may include a tie rod, which is designed as a threaded rod / screw and in the assembled state through the clamping holes of both abutment pieces passes. Under threaded rod should also be understood here a long cap screw, which is provided at one end with a corresponding thread.

The tensioning means may also comprise a threaded bore in each abutment piece, wherein the thread in one abutment piece is a right-hand and in the other a left-hand thread. The tie rod of the two abutment pieces against each other pulls, is a threaded rod, which carries opposing thread on both ends and is provided in the middle with a lug to attack a tool.

The new rail joint assembly for the upper chord is adapted to engage a support rib formed on the upper chord. To the rail joint assembly includes a first abutment piece, which is placed on the support rib and which is located on one side of the rail joint. With the help of fasteners, the abutment piece is anchored on the support rib. On the other side of the rail joint sits a second abutment piece, which is also arranged on the support rib and is connected there to the support rib. Clamping means act between the two abutment pieces and clamp the two rails on both sides of the joint against each other.

Special centering are not required here because no rails run over the top chord. Minor offsets in the vertical and lateral direction, which remain despite the offset-free joint on the lower flange, are harmless.

The abutment piece for the top flange may have a groove which receives the support rib in the mounted state.

The abutment piece may have two laterally projecting flanges with through holes.

The tensioning means may comprise at least one threaded rod extending between the two abutment pieces extends adjacent to the rib to clamp the abutment pieces together.

Incidentally, developments of the invention are the subject of subclaims.

The following description of the figures explains aspects for understanding the invention. Further, not described details, the expert can refer to the drawings in the usual way, the extent to complement the description of the figures. It is clear that a number of modifications are possible.

The following drawings are not necessarily to scale. To illustrate the essential details, it may be that certain areas are exaggerated in size. In addition, the drawings are simplified and do not include any detail that may be present in the practice. The terms above and below refer to the normal installation position.

Fig. 1

zeigt einen Abschnitt einer Kranschiene in einer perspektivischen Darstellung mit Blick schräg von oben;

Fig. 2

zeigt die erfindungsgemäße Schienenstoßverbinderänordnung für den Untergurt in einer perspektivischen Explosionsdarstellung;

Fig. 3

zeigt die Schienenstoßverbinderanordnung für den Obergurt in einer perspektivischen Explosionsdarstellung mit Blick auf die Unterseite und

Fig. 4

zeigt in einer perspektivischen Explosionsdarstellung einen Schienenstoß mit den erfindungsgemäßen Schienenstoßverbindern für den Ober- und für den Untergurt.

In the drawing, embodiments of the subject invention are illustrated:

Fig. 1

shows a portion of a crane rail in a perspective view obliquely from above;

Fig. 2

shows the Schienenstoßverbinderänordnung for the lower flange according to the invention in an exploded perspective view;

Fig. 3

shows the rail joint connector assembly for the Upper girth in an exploded perspective view of the underside and

Fig. 4

shows in a perspective exploded view a rail joint with the inventive rail joint connectors for the upper and for the lower flange.

Fig. 1 shows in a perspective plan view of a running rail 1 of a lane-free conveyor. The running rail 1 has a lower flange 2 and a top flange 3. The upper and lower chords 2 and 3 are connected to each other via a web 4. On the top of the upper flange 3 is a support rib 5. The web 4 is located in the vertical plane of symmetry.

The entire running rail 1 has a constant cross section over the length of a constant cross-section and consists of a roll-formed sheet steel strip whose edges are laser welded 6 and 7 on the web. As a result of the roll-formed profile, the lower flange 2 is designed as a hollow chamber and defines a cavity 8 which is rectangular in cross-section.

The cavity 8 is bounded by two narrow sides 9 and 11 of the lower flange 2, a lower side 12 and an upper side 13, from which the middle of the web 4 originates.

The upper flange 3 is also designed as a hollow chamber and defines a cavity, also with a rectangular cross-section.

The support rib 5 is made of a strip-shaped Web 15 and a formed at the upper end of the strip-shaped web 15, triangular in cross-section hollow bead 16 together. The strip-shaped web 15 is, as the figure reveals, straight and compared to the web 4 has a small height.

To two rails 1 with the in Fig. 1 To connect the profile shown in a shock, a butt connector assembly 17 is provided, which in Fig. 2 is illustrated.

To the butt connector assembly 17 includes two abutment pieces 18 and 19, which are designed identically, which is why the explanation of one of the two abutment pieces 18, 19 is sufficient. Corresponding structural elements are provided with the same reference numerals in the two abutment pieces 18 and 19.

The abutment piece 18 is a flat, cuboid-shaped structure, which is delimited by a flat upper side 21 of a parallel thereto, not visible in the figure underside, two long narrow sides 22 and 23 and two end faces 24, 25. The edges of the abutment piece 18 are chamfered, as shown, so that they do not collide with the round inner corners of the cavity 8.

The distance between the two narrow sides 22 and 23 from each other corresponds to the clear distance between the two narrow sides 9 and 11 of the lower chord 2. Thus, the transverse dimension of the abutment piece 21 is adjusted so that this with little lateral play between the two narrow sides 9 and 11 of the lower chord fits.

The distance between the top 21 and the bottom corresponds to the clear distance, the bottom 12 has from the top 13 of the lower flange 2, whereby the abutment piece 21 also shows virtually no clearance in the cavity 8. The abutment piece 18 can be moved in the cavity 8 practically without play in the transverse direction in the longitudinal direction.

For attachment of the abutment piece 18 in the cavity 8 fastening means 26 are provided. The fastening means include, in the embodiment shown, a total of four blind holes 27, which are designed as threaded bores and which are provided at their opening in the narrow side 22 and 23, end with a countersink. The longitudinal axis of the blind holes 27 are parallel to the flat sides 21 and parallel to the end faces 24 and 25th

Further, the fasteners 26 include cap screws 28 with a cylindrical head 29. The head 29 serves as a dowel pin, as will be apparent from the description below. The depth of the countersink in the blind bores 27 is sized to allow the screw head 29 to project slightly beyond the respective narrow side 22, 23 when the screw is tightened in the blind hole 27 until the underside of the screw head 29 contacts the bottom of the countersink is applied. The supernatant, which shows the screw head 29 after tightening, is slightly smaller than the material thickness of the sheet from which the running rail 1 is made.

Thus, the two abutment pieces 18, 19 in the mounted state exactly aligned and thus the abutting Forces rails 1 in the region of the lower flange 2 in the correctly positioned position, each abutment piece 18, 19 in the end face 24 and 25 each have two cylindrical blind holes 31. Because of the perspective view, only the cylindrical blind holes 31 in the end faces 25 can be seen. It is readily clear how the blind holes lie in the not recognizable as a top view front page 24. They are arranged so that they, when the end faces 24 and 25 adjacent abutment pieces 18, 19 are congruent to each other, exactly aligned with each other.

The centering holes 31 are used to receive dowel pins 32. The dowel pins 32 can either be loose, or they can alternately be connected to one of the two abutment pieces 18, 19 via press fit in the corresponding centering hole 29. For example, the right centering pin 32 can be press-fitted into the upper right center hole 31 of the abutment piece 19, while the left pin 32 is pressed into the invisible center hole 31 on the left side of the end face 24 of the abutment piece 18. The respective corresponding centering holes 31 on the opposing abutment piece 18, 19 are tolerated accordingly, so that there fits the protruding end of the respective dowel pin 32 with sliding fit into it. This facilitates assembly because there are no loose parts.

Through each of the two abutment pieces 18, 19 each has a through hole 33 therethrough, which is perpendicular to the end faces 24, 25 and the abutment piece 18, 19 passes through the length. The bore 33 is located centrally between the centering holes 31, to which they are axially parallel is. The through hole 33 serves to receive a tie rod in the form of a long screw 34, see Fig. 4 ,

While the butt connector assembly 17 after Fig. 2 serves to connect two rails 1 in the region of the lower belt 2, shows Fig. 3 a rail connector assembly 36 for tensioning the two rails together at the butt in the region of their top.

To the butt connector assembly 36 includes two mutually equal abutment pieces 37 and 38. Each abutment piece 37, 38 is composed of a U-profile piece 39 and an associated angle 41 together. The U-profile piece forms a back 42 from the two mutually parallel legs 43 and 44 go out. Legs 43 and 44 include aligned bore pairs 45 and 46.

The elbow 41 engages over the U-profile piece 39, as shown, whereby two laterally projecting flanges 47 and 48 are formed, which are connected to each other above the back 42 by a leg 49 of the angle section 41. The entire assembly is a welded construction.

In the two flanges 47 and 48 holes 49 are included. To connect the two abutment pieces 37 and 38 with each other, threaded rods 51 and 52 are provided, can be screwed onto the nuts.

For anchoring the abutment pieces 37 and 38, plug-in cylinder pins 54 are provided.

The assembly of two rails 1 is now based on Fig. 4 explains:

The two rails 1 are provided at that front end, which later faces the other front end in the region of the joint, with a total of four holes 55 in the region of the side walls 9 and 11. The distance of the holes 55 corresponds to the distance between the threaded blind holes 27 in the abutment piece 18 and 19. In addition, the running rail 1 gets in the area of the bottom 12 a rectangular notch, the exact location of which results from the further description. Further, the two rails 1 are provided on the strip-shaped web 15 with through holes whose distance corresponds to the spacing of the hole pairs 45, 46. The situation also results from the functional description. The two rails 1 are thus prepared for mounting the butt connector assemblies 17 and 36.

It is now, for example, based on Fig. 4 , in the coming from the top right rail 1, the abutment 19 used. This abutment piece 19 has previously been provided with the tie rod 34, in such a way that after insertion of the abutment piece 19, the screw 34 protrudes from the upper right-hand running rail 1 in the direction of the left lower running rail 1. The abutment piece 19 is placed so that the threaded holes 27 contained therein are aligned with the holes 55 in the side walls 9 and 11. Now, the screws 28 are screwed through these holes 55 through until they rest with their head 29 at the bottom of the flattening. The heads 29 are now stuck play in the holes 55 without the projecting beyond the outer boundary of the lower flange 2. The front side 25 jumps slightly opposite to the front side the rail 1 back inside.

In the corresponding manner, the left lower rail 1 is fitted with the abutment piece 18 and secured by screws 28 screwed in there. Now, the rails 1 are joined together at the shock, wherein the screw 34 penetrates into the through hole 33 of the abutment piece 18. As soon as the two rails 1 rest sufficiently close to each other, the screw 34 will protrude with its thread from the front side 25 and it can be screwed there a corresponding nut. For this purpose, the aforementioned quadrangular openings are provided, which were mounted in the underside 12 of the lower flange 2. Their position is chosen so that both the head of the screw 34 and the nut to be screwed onto it are accessible by means of tools.

Before the final mating, the dowel pins 32 were still inserted into the mating holes 31 in order to force a positionally correct positioning of the two abutment pieces 18, 19 at the end faces, which are adjacent to the rail joint.

By tightening the nut on the screw 34, the two abutment pieces 18, 19 are clamped together and thus simultaneously the two guide rails 1 in the region of the joint.

From the explanation it is easy to see that the holes 55 must be mounted so that the abutment pieces 18, 19 with their relevant end faces 24, 25 do not protrude beyond the free end face of the running rail 1, in which they stuck. Otherwise they would prevent a gap-free installation of the end faces of the two rails 1 to each other. By choosing the appropriate location of the holes are using the abutment pieces 18, 19 and the centering pins 32, the free ends of the two rails 1 in the region of their front sides pressed together so that the shock is gap-free and the outer edges of the lower chords 2 of the two rails. 1 smoothly and steplessly merge into each other.

Once the assembly is done by then, the two abutment pieces 37 and 38 are slipped from above over the support rib 5 of each of the two rails 1, as shown in the exploded view Fig. 4 suggests. The two abutment pieces 37 and 38 are secured to the relevant rail 1 by means of the cylindrical pins 54 which sit in the pairs of holes 45, 46 and pass through corresponding holes in the strip-shaped web 15, which were previously attached as mentioned above. The abutment pieces 37, 38 ride with the U-profile piece 39 on the support rib 5. The legs 43, 44 show next to the support rib 5 to the top of the upper belt 3. Now, the threaded rods 51 and 52 through the holes 49 of the two abutment pieces 37 and 38 are inserted through and the nuts 53 are tightened. Thus, the two rails 1 are braced in the area of their top. Their free end faces lie against each other without gaps.

The two rails 1 can now be charged on both sides of the shock, with the help of the two butt connector assemblies 17 and 36 via the rail joint, the vertical forces are passed as if the two rails 1 in one piece in the rail joint.

In particular, both upward and downward bending forces are transmitted across the joint.

The distance between the two abutment pieces 37, 38 and the tie rods 51, 52 is large enough in the assembled state, so that between them from above the support rib 5 is reached with a hanger.

Instead of the screw 34 in conjunction with the two smooth through holes 33 in the two abutment pieces 18 and 19, a threaded rod can be used which, similar to a turnbuckle on both sides thread pitch same, but with reversed sense of rotation. Accordingly, the bore 33 is provided, for example, in the abutment piece 18 with a right-hand thread and the bore 33 in the abutment piece 19 with a left-hand thread. By turning this screw, in the same way as described above, the two abutment pieces 18 and 19 are moved towards each other to press the free end faces of the two rails 1 without a gap against each other.

A butt connector for the lower flange of a running rail is composed of two abutment pieces that sit in the lower flange. With the help of centering the positionally correct positioning of the two abutment pieces is enforced, which transfer this positioning on the lower chord, so that the lower chords meet each other at the shock offset and the transverse positioning forces can not be affected. The connection is thus in the transverse direction, relative to the rail, by means of Abutment pieces form fit. Another butt connector arrangement connects the two rails in the area of the top. Also here abutment pieces are used, which sit as a rider on a support rib and are connected by lag screws.

Claims (25)

1. Rail joint connector arrangement for connecting rail joints in the case of rails (1) for floor-free transport gear, wherein the rails (1) have a bottom chord (2), which is configured as a hollow chamber,
   with a first abutment piece (18, 19), which can be inserted into the bottom chord (2), is located on one side of the rail joint and has a face side (24, 25) facing the rail joint, with fastening elements (27, 28) for anchoring the first abutment piece (18, 19) in the bottom chord (2),
   with a second abutment piece (18, 19), which can be inserted into the bottom chord, is located on the other side of the rail joint and has a face side (24, 25) facing the rail joint,
   with fastening elements (27, 28) for anchoring the second abutment piece (18, 19) in the bottom chord (2),
   with clamping elements (34) for clamping the two abutment pieces (18, 19) together, and
   with centring elements (31, 32), which are arranged on the face sides (24, 25) and are arranged to assure the correct position of the abutment pieces (18, 19) relative to one another and thus the correct position of the rails (1) relative to one another.
2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the two abutment pieces (18, 19) are identical to one another.
3. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the abutment piece (18, 19) has the shape of a cuboid with two parallel side flanks (22, 23) and two parallel faces (24, 25).
4. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the cross-section of the abutment piece (18, 19) transversely to the longitudinal extent of the rail (1) corresponds to the cross-section of the hollow chamber (8) in the bottom chord (2).
5. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the abutment piece (18, 19) has chamfered edges.
6. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised the fastening element (27, 28) for anchoring the abutment piece (18, 19) in the bottom chord (2) contains at least two holes (27), which are configured in side flanks (22, 23) of the abutment piece (18, 19).
7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the holes (27) are threaded holes.
8. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the two holes (27) are sections of a through-hole.
9. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the holes (27) are countersunk flat.
10. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the fastening elements (27, 28) for anchoring the abutment piece (18, 19) in the bottom chord (2) comprise pegs (28), which are arranged to be inserted through the side wall (9, 11) of the bottom chord (2) in openings (27) of the abutment piece (18, 19).
11. Arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that the pegs (18) are screws.
12. Arrangement according to claim 11, characterised in that the screws (28) are studs or cap screws.
13. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the centring elements (31, 32) comprise centring holes (31) and locating pins (32).
14. Arrangement according to claim 13, characterised in that the centring elements (31, 32) in each face side (24, 25) of an abutment piece (18, 19) comprise a hole (31) and a pressed in locating pin (32) in such a manner that the pressed in locating pin (32) of one abutment piece (18, 19) can be inserted into the locating hole (31) of the other abutment piece (18, 19) and vice versa.
15. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the clamping elements (33, 34) have a through-hole (33) extending through the abutment piece (18, 19) in the longitudinal direction.
16. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the clamping elements (33, 34) include a tension rod (34), which is configured as a threaded rod and in the mounted state passes through the clamping holes (33) of both abutment pieces (18, 19).
17. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that a threaded hole is provided in each abutment piece (18, 19).
18. Arrangement according to claim 17, characterised in that the abutment pieces (18, 19) form a pair, wherein in one abutment piece (18, 19) the threaded hole has a right-handed thread and in the other abutment piece the threaded hole has a left-handed thread.
19. Arrangement according to claim 18, characterised in that the tension rod is a threaded rod, which has opposing threads at the two ends and is provided in the centre with an attachment piece for a turning tool.
20. Rail joint connector arrangement for connecting rail joints in the case of rails (1) for floor-free transport gear, wherein the rails (1) have a support rib (5) on their upper side above the upper chord (3),
    with a first abutment piece (37, 38), which can be attached onto the support rib (5) and is located on one side of the rail joint,
    with fastening elements (45, 46, 54) for anchoring the first abutment piece (37, 38) on the support rib (5),
    with a second abutment piece (37, 38), which can be attached on the support rib (5) and is located on the other side of the rail joint,
    with fastening elements (45, 46, 54) for anchoring the second abutment piece (37, 38) on the support rib (5),
    with clamping elements (51, 52) for clamping the two abutment pieces (37, 38) together.
21. Arrangement according to claim 20, characterised in that the abutment piece (37, 38) has a groove, which receives the support rib (5) in mounted state.
22. Arrangement according to claim 20, characterised in that the abutment piece (37, 38) has two visibly projecting flanges (43, 44).
23. Arrangement according to claim 20, characterised in that the abutment piece (37, 38) contains two holes (45, 46) oriented in directions parallel to the support rib (5).
24. Arrangement according to claim 20, characterised in that the clamping element (51, 52) is formed by at least one threaded rod, which extends between the two abutment pieces (37, 38) laterally next to the support rib (5).
25. Rail joint connector arrangement, characterised in that it comprises a rail joint connector arrangement according to one or more of claims 1 to 19 and a rail joint connector arrangement according to one or more of claims 20 to 24.

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