EP2399797B1 - Elastic connection element intended for the floating assembly of an internal floor, internal floor panel equipped with a range of elastic connection elements and method for floating assembly of a floor - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the floating assembly of internal floors of various vehicles, for example naval, rail or road vehicles. It relates more particularly to elastic connecting elements damping vibrations and noise that allow to suspend an internal floor structure on the frame of the body / structure of a vehicle and which we will subsequently designate "chassis structure" . To illustrate this invention, we have described elastic connection elements for the floating mounting of internal floors on the chassis of the boiler of railway vehicles.

We know by EP 0 576 394 connecting elements particularly effective in terms of damping vibrations and noise and which are currently used at present, particularly for the floating installation of internal floors on the floors of the cauldrons of railway vehicles. These elastic connection elements comprise a lower element having a first support wall intended to be fixed on the floor of the chassis structure, an upper element having a second support wall, substantially parallel to said first support wall and intended to be fixed on said inner floor and an elastic mass arranged between said lower element and said upper element so that said lower element and said upper element can make limited movements relative to each other, mainly according to the direction perpendicular to said support walls but also longitudinally and transversely, while remaining distant from one another.

In practice, one installs, leveling and individually fixed, by gluing, screwing, riveting or welding, said elastic connection elements on the floor of the chassis structure and then the elements of the internal floor are placed on said elements of elastic connection, which we will call later "connecting elements". Typically (the number and distribution of connecting elements depends on the load to be supported), it is necessary to fix 4 to 6 connecting elements per square meter, that is to say of the order of 200 to 300 elements. caulking connection. Even if several operators can act simultaneously, the installation of internal floor panels and their leveling result in significant preparation times before the actual fixing, which itself is a long operation and involves a certain amount of time. waiting (cooling after welding, drying of the adhesive, etc ...) before being able to undertake a new operation on one (or more) element (s) next floor (s). Typically, for a railway cauldron, the time spent preparing the floor of the chassis structure before the placement of the floor elements is of the order of 5-12 h. In addition, once attached to the floor of the frame structure, the connecting elements are fragile obstacles that operators must avoid when moving, so that the intervention devoted to the floating assembly of such floors has been up to now considered particularly long and delicate.

The floor elements constituting the internal floor (typically panels, slabs or planks, made of wood, honeycomb and / or composite structure) are then assembled and fixed, typically by screwing, on the upper elements of the elements. connection, for example using self-tapping screws. As the frame structure of the cauldron is not perfectly flat, it is necessary, if it is desired to obtain an internal floor of satisfactory flatness, that each connecting element is controlled and adjusted in height before the installation and fixing of the floor element, to take into account local height differences resulting from the imperfect flatness of the floor of the chassis structure.

The request for European patent EP 0 774 400 , has a connecting element whose structure is very close to that of EP 0 576 394 with a lower element, an upper element and an elastic mass arranged between the lower element and the upper element. To address the problem of compensating for differences in levels related to imperfect flatness of the floor of the chassis structure, it is proposed in this patent application to embed the lower element in an annular frame whose peripheral wall is provided with three helical threads, intended to cooperate with three helical ramps formed in a base intended to be fixed on the floor of the frame structure. Fixing said base on the floor of the cauldron and then placing the connecting element by screwing it more or less so that the upper element is at the right level when the fixing of the internal floor and finally the internal floor panel is placed so as to fix it on the upper element of the connecting element. The utility model German DE7518155U discloses an elastic connecting element comprising an upper element and a lower element separated by an elastic structure, the lower element itself being subdivided into two parts that can be displaced relative to each other: a flange connected to the elastic structure and a base, the gap between these two parts can be adjusted through a screw-nut system.

Such solutions do not seem entirely satisfactory insofar as the installation of the bases on the floor of the frame structure always takes a lot of time. In addition, maintaining the height adjustment resulting from the cooperation of the nets and the helical ramps ( EP0774400 ) or the cooperation of the screw threads of the screw-nut system of DE7518155U , does not seem assured in time, which requires adjustment at the time of laying the internal floor, at a time when the connecting element is difficult to access. It follows that the problem related to the reduction of the duration of intervention to set up and fix in a floating way an internal floor does not have unacceptable flatness defect does not seem yet perfectly resolved.

The applicant has therefore tried to find a satisfactory solution for the floating assembly of an internal floor on the floor of the chassis structure of any vehicle, for example the cauldron of a railway vehicle, resulting in duration of intervention as short as possible, the internal floor must also have a perfect flatness, independent of flatness defects of the floor of the frame structure.

1. a) un élément inférieur présentant une première paroi d'appui destinée à être fixée sur le plancher de ladite structure-châssis;
2. b) un élément supérieur, présentant une deuxième paroi d'appui, sensiblement parallèle à ladite première paroi d'appui et destinée à être fixée sur ledit plancher interne;
3. c) une masse élastique agencée entre ledit élément inférieur et ledit élément supérieur de telle sorte que ledit élément inférieur et ledit élément supérieur peuvent se déplacer l'un par rapport à l'autre tout en restant distants l'un de l'autre;

L'un ou l'autre des dits éléments séparés par ladite masse élastique, à savoir ledit élément inférieur, respectivement ledit élément supérieur, comprend au moins deux pièces mobiles l'une par rapport à l'autre dans une direction sensiblement perpendiculaire auxdites parois d'appui, ladite première pièce étant adjacente à ladite masse élastique, ladite deuxième pièce étant ou comprenant ladite première paroi d'appui, respectivement la deuxième paroi d'appui.A first object according to the invention is a vibration and noise damping connecting element for the floating mounting of an internal floor on the floor of a chassis structure and comprising:

1. a) a lower member having a first support wall for attachment to the floor of said frame structure;
2. b) an upper element, having a second support wall, substantially parallel to said first support wall and intended to be fixed on said inner floor;
3. c) an elastic mass arranged between said lower member and said upper member such that said lower member and said upper member can move relative to each other while remaining distant from each other;

One or the other of said elements separated by said elastic mass, namely said lower element, respectively said upper element, comprises at least two parts movable relative to each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said walls. support, said first part being adjacent to said elastic mass, said second part being or comprising said first support wall, respectively the second support wall.

As in DE7518155U one of the two elements separated by the elastic mass (the lower element or the upper element) of the connecting element according to the invention is itself subdivided into at least two mutually integral but movable parts; one in relation to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support walls. Said first piece and said second piece are interconnected by a mechanical connection, called "incomplete", which has at least one degree of freedom, in that it allows said first piece and said second piece to move. one with respect to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first and second support walls.

But the connecting element according to the invention differs from DE 75 18 155U in that, by acting on the connection element itself, that is to say by imposing a relative displacement of the first part relative to the second part, it is possible to compensate for the height differences related to the lack of flatness the floor of the chassis structure without the need to pre-equip the floor of the frame structure with elements foreign to the connecting element. So, there is no need, as in EP 0 774 400 or DE 75 18 155U , to fix bases on the floor of the frame structure to receive said connecting elements and to allow their height adjustment. Indeed, the great advantage of the invention lies in the possibility of pre-equipping the internal floor panels with said connecting elements so that at the time of assembly of the internal floor, there is no waste of time in the preparation of the floor of the chassis structure, which, without prefixed connecting pieces, remains easy to access and can be pushed by the operators without any particular precautions. The connecting elements according to the invention, have a second bearing wall provided with an orifice whose diameter is defined to allow access to a spacer or an actuator (to adjust the gap between the first piece and the second piece ), and / or said immobilizing means (for fixing said gap), or even to the first support wall (for fixing the connecting element on the floor of the chassis structure)

Among the embodiments presented hereinafter in the examples, the first propose to subdivide the lower element into at least two parts integral with each other and movable relative to each other. The following examples show that it is also possible to subdivide the upper element into two parts integral and movable relative to each other.

According to the invention, said first piece and said second piece are interconnected by an incomplete mechanical connection, which allows the relative displacement of one piece relative to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support walls. This incomplete mechanical connection is for example a slide connection which provides 5 degrees of connection and allows only a translational movement in the intended direction. This can be a sliding pivot connection with anti-rotation (typically a cylindrical shaft sliding in a bore without rotating about its axis, a helical connection (typically a screw-nut system), or a connection "double plane support" with secant contact planes (typically a system of wedges sliding support).

Relative movement of the first piece relative to the second piece can be directly imposed manually. It can also be achieved using an intermediate piece whose displacement causes the relative movement of the first piece relative to the second piece. We will call later this intermediate part "spacer". The spacer may be either part of a screw-nut system, one or more translational corners, the body or rod of a cylinder. The spacer can be moved by hand or with the aid of an actuator powered by an auxiliary energy source, such as a compressed spring, an electromechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or a deformable enclosure pressurized with air to be used as a pneumatic support. The contribution of an auxiliary energy makes it possible to automate and / or remotely control the movement of the first piece relative to the second piece to reach the gap referred to, for example to allow the leveling of the floor element. Thus, in the context of the present invention, said displacement can be performed after the laying of the floor element, even if access to the spacer or to the actuator is not very easy.

Advantageously, said element (lower or upper), which has been subdivided into at least two integral parts and movable relative to each other, is also provided with an immobilization means which immobilizes said first part with respect to said second part, so that said first support wall and said second support wall can be kept away from each other by a determined constant distance. For example, when the distance between the first support wall and the second support wall corresponds exactly to the actual difference in levels that exists between the internal floor and the floor of the said frame structure in the vicinity of the said connecting element, it is possible, by immobilizing the first piece relative to the second part, to mount an internal floor whose flatness does not depend on flatness defects of the floor of the frame structure.

The immobilizing means may be a specific means, for example a bead secured to the first piece trapped in a groove secured to the second piece (or vice versa) or any fastening means, such as a screw, allowing join the first and second rooms.

In many examples described below, a screw-nut connection is used to provide the retractor function. To allow a quick adjustment, a screw-nut connection is preferably chosen with helical threads of high slope and in low friction contact so that it is preferable to use specific immobilization means, typically a self-locking screw. tap threaded through the screw portion and the nut portion of the screw-nut system, for example at the common area of the fast nets.

Advantageously, the connecting element comprises, in addition to the elastic mass formed between the upper element and the lower element, an outer layer which is adjacent to the second support wall and which is made of an insulating and elastic material, insulation to prevent possible stack corrosion between the material of the second support wall and the material of the underside of the inner floor panel, resilient to improve the damping of vibration and noise. This layer may be of natural rubber or neoprene, glued or vulcanized directly on said second support wall.

In some embodiments, the first bearing wall is in the form of a plate which projects beyond the space occupied by the upper element and the elastic mass, the periphery of said plate being provided with orifices or being intended to be pierced for the passage of fixing screws. In other embodiments, the underside of the first backing wall is provided with an adhesive layer or is to be coated with an adhesive material, preferably just prior to placement of the inner floorboard. on the floor of the chassis structure. Finally, in other embodiments, such as that of the last example presented below, surround the periphery of the lower face of the first support wall with a continuous bead, so that when the element of connection is brought into contact with the floor of the frame structure, there is formed between said floor and said first support wall a cavity adapted to receive the adhesive material injected from the top of the internal floor.

Another object according to the invention is an internal floor panel intended to be mounted floating on the floor of a chassis structure, characterized in that it is provided with at least a plurality of elastic connection elements according to the invention. As previously mentioned, the fact of using internal floorboards pre-equipped with elastic connection elements makes it possible to significantly reduce the assembly time of the internal floors, since the operation devoted to the fixing of the elastic connection elements does not take place. find more on the critical path of floating floor mounting. This operation can be done in hidden time on the site, or even before, in a dedicated workshop.

Said elastic connection elements can be fixed "permanently" on the underside of said inner floor panel, for example by gluing, riveting or screwing the second bearing wall on the underside of said inner floor panel. They can also be simply held temporarily secured to the internal floor panel, for example by cooperation of securing means temporary (snap-fastening or screwing means, or reversible force sinking means, typically a male portion of the upper member to be driven into a cavity in said inner floor panel). Once the internal floor panel has been placed on the chassis-frame floor, these temporary securing means are removed in order to allow the activation of a spacer and the setting and freezing of the gap between the first part and the second room. Then, the elastic connection elements are permanently fixed on the inner floor panel, typically by screwing the second support wall on the underside of said panel, the screws, being screwed from the top of the panel, passing through the entire wall. thickness of said panel.

Advantageously a layer of insulating and elastic material is placed between said second support wall and the underside of the inner floor panel.

Advantageously, said inner floor panel is also provided with openings made in line with the orifices provided in the second support wall of said elastic connection elements, so that, from the top of the internal floor, an operator can have access at the spreader and / or its actuator (to adjust the distance between the first part and the second part) and / or by means of immobilization (to maintain said gap), or to the first support wall ( to achieve the attachment to the floor of the chassis structure).

Advantageously, said inner floor panel may also be provided with other openings, formed in line with the fixing points of the first support wall on the floor of the chassis structure, so that from the top of the internal floor , an operator can achieve the attachment of the first support wall on the floor of the frame structure.

Of course, it is possible to provide the same internal floor panel with several pluralities of elastic connection elements according to the invention, each plurality corresponding to a different embodiment, associated for example with an additional optional function. Thus, in the preferred method of floor mounting described hereinafter, three elastic connecting elements are used first to adjust, in isostatic support conditions, horizontality, altitude and lateral positioning of the internal floorboard. These first three connecting elements play a role different from that of the other connecting elements and one can choose for them a specific embodiment, particularly suitable for this stage of the assembly process, such as that presented in Example 7 below.

Some resilient connection elements may be chosen to effect fastening to the floor of the frame structure by screwing. Others may be chosen to allow attachment to the floor of the frame structure by gluing. For example, in said preferred internal floor mounting method, the elastic connecting members other than the first three need not have the functionality of the first three and can be placed more quickly by screwing or gluing. The last connecting members of the floorboard to be adjusted and fixed on the floor of the frame structure can advantageously be glued without the need to wait for the glue to dry to start laying the floorboards internal neighbors, since said floor panel is firmly held in its position by the first three connecting elements and possibly a few following.

1. a) on se munit de panneaux de plancher interne selon l'invention, tels que décrits ci-dessus ;
2. b) on pose lesdits panneaux de plancher interne sur le plancher de la structure châssis et, pour chaque panneau de plancher interne:
   • b1) on fixe sur ledit plancher de la structure-châssis la première paroi d'appui de trois éléments de liaison selon l'invention, la distance entre la première paroi d'appui et la deuxième paroi d'appui ayant été fixée à une première valeur prédéfinie, typiquement associée à l'altitude théorique affectée au dit plancher interne;
   • b2) pour chacun des éléments de liaison restants, on ajuste l'écart entre ladite première pièce et ladite deuxième pièce de telle sorte que la première paroi affleure plancher de la structure-châssis, on immobilise la première pièce par rapport à la deuxième pièce et on fixe ladite première paroi d'appui sur ledit plancher de la structure châssis.

Another object according to the invention is an assembly method for floatingly mounting an internal floor on a chassis-structure floor, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

1. a) is equipped with internal floor panels according to the invention, as described above;
2. b) installing said inner floor panels on the floor of the frame structure and, for each inner floor panel:
   • b1) is fixed on said floor of the frame structure the first support wall of three connecting elements according to the invention, the distance between the first support wall and the second support wall having been fixed to a first predefined value, typically associated with the theoretical altitude assigned to said internal floor;
   • b2) for each of the remaining connecting elements, the gap between said first piece and said second piece is adjusted so that the first wall is flush with the floor of the frame structure, the first piece is immobilized with respect to the second piece and said first support wall is fixed on said floor of the chassis structure.

During step a), it is equipped with internal floor panels pre-equipped with three first connecting elements which have been positioned on said inner floor panel so that the latter can rest on the floor of the structure chassis under stable isostatic conditions. Advantageously, the connecting elements other than the first three are adjusted so that the distance between the first support wall and the second support wall is set at a second predefined value at least less than the said first predefined value, which was used for setting the first three link elements. In this way, the risk is reduced that the internal floor panel comes into contact with the floor of the chassis structure at other points than said first three connecting elements. Advantageously, the position of the first three connecting elements is indicated by a marking on the upper face of the inner floor panel.

Advantageously, in step b1), the first three elastic connecting elements are first fixed and then, during an intermediate step between b1) and b2), the differences between the first piece and the second piece of each of these first three resilient connection elements so that the inner floorboard is perfectly horizontal, placed at the desired altitude (it must generally be within a certain defined range of values relative to a reference altitude, for example the altitude of the rail if the floor is intended for a rail vehicle) and that it is well positioned relative to the side walls of said vehicle. A connecting element such as that presented in Example 7 and illustrated in figure 7 allows such an adjustment of the horizontality, the altitude and the lateral positioning of the internal floor panel. Once the adjustment is made, the gaps between the first piece and the second piece of each of said first three connecting elements are blocked by means of an immobilizing means. Then we go to step b2).

The figure 1a illustrates, in front view and in semi-section by a vertical plane, a first embodiment according to the invention. The figure 1b illustrates, seen from above and in a section along the plane AA (cf. fig 1a ) this first embodiment.

The figure 2 illustrates schematically, in front view, a second embodiment.

The figure 3a schematically illustrates, in front view, a third embodiment. The figure 3b details the central part of the lower element of this third embodiment. The figure 3c schematically illustrates, in front view, an internal floor panel equipped with a connecting element according to the third embodiment and mounted on the floor of a rail vehicle boiler. The figure 3d illustrates an axisymmetric variant of this third embodiment.

The Figures 4a to 4d illustrate a fourth embodiment. The Figures 5a and 5b illustrate, respectively in front view and in side view, a fifth embodiment. The Figures 6a to 6c illustrate, respectively in front view, in side view and in top view, a sixth embodiment. The Figures 6b and 6c (partial view) are sections respectively with respect to plane AA and plane BB as illustrated in figure 6a ..

The Figures 7 to 9 illustrate, in front view, three other embodiments, in which, unlike the previous embodiments, it is the upper element which is subdivided into two parts linked by an incomplete mechanical connection. The example of figure 7 allows lateral positioning of the inner floor panel. Examples of figures 8 and 9 allow bonding on the floor of the frame structure. The figure 8 illustrates an embodiment where the first support wall is glued before the installation of the internal floor panel equipped with such a connecting element. The figure 9 illustrates an embodiment where an adhesive material is injected after laying the floorboard.

All the examples presented below are obviously not limiting. In particular, it will be possible, unless obvious functional incompatibility, to transpose one of these examples which has a certain additional function to another connecting element of different structure, for example to an axisymmetric device while the device of the example was not not, or vice versa, or to a device for which the element divided into two parts linked by an incomplete mechanical connection is the upper element while that of the example was the lower element, or vice versa.

PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION EXAMPLE 1 (FIGS. 1a and 1b)

1. a) un élément inférieur (31) qui présente une première paroi d'appui (30) destinée à être fixée sur le plancher (1) d'un chaudron de véhicule ferroviaire.
2. b) un élément supérieur (41), qui présente une deuxième paroi d'appui (40), sensiblement parallèle à la première paroi d'appui et destinée à être fixée sur le plancher interne (2);
3. c) une masse élastique (6) agencée entre l'élément inférieur (31) et l'élément supérieur (41) de telle sorte que l'élément inférieur et l'élément supérieur peuvent avoir des déplacements relatifs limités tout en restant distants l'un de l'autre.

A first embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 1a and 1b . The connecting element (51) comprises:

1. a) a lower element (31) which has a first support wall (30) intended to be fixed on the floor (1) of a railway vehicle boiler.
2. b) an upper element (41), which has a second support wall (40), substantially parallel to the first support wall and intended to be fixed on the internal floor (2);
3. c) an elastic mass (6) arranged between the lower element (31) and the upper element (41) so that the lower element and the upper element can have limited relative displacements while remaining distant; one of the other.

The lower member (31) comprises a first piece (311) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (312) which comprises said first bearing wall (30). The first piece and the second piece are interconnected by a link (313) of the slide type where the axis (318) is integral with the second piece (312) and where the first piece (311) is provided with a bore (311.1) slidable about said axis (318), which serves as a vertical displacement guide.

The relative displacement of the first piece relative to the second is achieved by means of two symmetrically disposed intermediate pieces (314 and 314 ') which act as a spacer moving the upper member away from the lower member. The intermediate pieces (314 and 314 ') are indeed longitudinal wedges connected by a spring (316) which tends to bring them closer together. Thanks to the sliding contact of the inclined faces (314.1) and (311.2), the approximation of the corners tends to lift the first piece (311). The lifting movement, guided by the sliding of the bore (311.1) around the axis (318) is limited, or even thwarted by the presence of a nut (315) that can be screwed more or less on the threaded upper part of said axis (318). According to the number of tightening turns imposed on the nut, the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) can be adjusted to the desired distance, for example the distance corresponding to the actual level difference between the internal floor and the floor of the cauldron at the connecting element.

Here, the nut (315) is a standard nut with a low-pitch helical screw thread. Under the effect of the axial stress exerted by the spring (316) via the intermediate pieces (314 and 314 '), a certain friction is exerted on the thread and the nut serves as a means of immobilization to maintain the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) to the desired value. Of course, one can design a nut of different shape, with a fast screw thread, of higher slope, and a wider peripheral part through which a self-tapping screw can pass to be screwed on the first piece (311 ).

The connection element also comprises a vulcanized neoprene layer (7) on the second support wall (40), which improves the performance of the connection element in terms of corrosion resistance of the assembly. at the junction linkage - internal floor and in terms of vibration damping and noise.

The connecting element (51) is adhered to the bottom wall (24) of the inner floor panel (21), which is provided with an orifice (22) in line with the orifice (42) formed in the second wall support (40). In this way, an operator can act on the nut (315) from the top of the inner floor to adjust the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40).

EXAMPLE 2 (Figure 2).

A second embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in figure 2 . The connecting element (52) comprises a lower element (32) having a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (42) having a second bearing wall (40) and an elastic mass ( 6).

The lower member (32) comprises a first piece (321) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (322) which comprises said first bearing wall (30). The first piece and the second piece are interconnected by a jack (326). The incomplete mechanical connection is a slider type link (323), where the piston (324) slides in the cylinder chamber.

EXAMPLE 3 (FIGS. 3a to 3c - Axisymmetric variant: FIG. 3d)

A third embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 3a to 3c . The connecting element (53) comprises a lower element (33) which has a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (43), which has a second bearing wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The lower member (33) comprises a first piece (331) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (332) which comprises said first bearing wall (30) and a pin (335). central fixed perpendicular to said first support wall. The first piece (331) and the second piece (332) are interconnected by a connection (333) of screw-nut type, the nut function being provided by a piece (337) which is integral with the first piece (331). and which has a threaded bore, the screw function being provided by a sleeve (334) externally threaded, free to rotate with respect to the axis of said pin but secured to the second piece (332) by means of the head (335.1) of said spindle. Depending on the number of tightening turns imposed on the sleeve (334), the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) can be adjusted to the desired distance. To facilitate the rotation of the sleeve (334), a washer (338) is placed between said threaded sleeve and the second support piece (332).

The figure 3c illustrates the detail of a panel (21) of an internal floor (2) provided with a plurality of elastic connecting elements (53) adhered to the underside (24) of the inner floor panel (21). The layer (7) is an insulating and resilient material that protects the assembly from corrosion and dampens vibration and noise. This layer (7), vulcanized neoprene on the second support wall (40), has been coated with adhesive material to fix the connecting elements (53) on the floor panel (21).

The inner floor panel (21) is provided with an opening (22) formed in line with the orifice (42) formed in the second support wall (40). In this way, an operator can, from the top of the internal floor, have access to the lower element, which itself has an orifice (339) so that one can have access to the sleeve (334) externally threaded and rotating it with a tool fitting into the notches (334.1). The internal floor panel is also provided with openings (23) arranged at the right fixing points (13) of the first support wall (30) on the floor (110) of the frame structure (1). In this way, an operator can, from the top of the internal floor, achieve the attachment of the first support wall on the floor of the frame structure.

Thus pre-equipped with connecting elements according to the invention, said internal floor panel significantly reduces the mounting time of the internal floors, since the operation devoted to the attachment of one of the support walls of the elements elastic connection can be performed in hidden time.

The figure 3d illustrates an axisymmetric variant of this third embodiment: the connecting element (53 ') comprises a lower element (33') which has a first support wall (30), an upper element (43 '), which has a second support wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The lower member (33 ') comprises a first piece (331') which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (332 ') which comprises said first bearing wall (30). The first piece and the second piece are interconnected by a connection (333 ') of screw-nut type, the nut function is provided directly by the first piece (331') which has a threaded bore, the screw function being provided by an externally threaded sleeve (334 '), free to rotate relative to the axis of a vertical pin (not shown) similar to the pin (335), which is surmounted by a head which holds the sleeve (334') integral with the second piece (332 ').

EXAMPLE 4 (FIGS. 4a to 4d)

A fourth embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 4a to 4d . The connecting element (54) comprises a lower element (34) having a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (44) having a second bearing wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The lower member (34) includes a first piece (341) that is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (342) that includes said first bearing wall (30). The first piece and the second piece are interconnected by a link (343) of slide type, the inverted U formed by the wings (341.1) of the first piece (341) being inserted into the space delimited by the wings (342.1) of the second piece (342). The displacement of the second piece relative to the first piece is ensured manually from the top of the floor, thanks to the access provided by the orifice (42) formed in the second support wall (40).

The outer wall of the wings (341.1) is provided with a snap-on bead (341.2). The inner wall of the wings (342.1) is provided with a plurality of grooves (342.2) of complementary shape to that of the bead. The snap-on bead (341.2), trapped by one of the grooves (342.2), constitutes an immobilization means (345) which makes it possible to keep the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second wall pressing (40) to the desired value. To reinforce this immobilization, a pivoting latch (348), also operable from above the floor is used. By rotating the gripping head (347) of the latch, the arms (349) are placed in a position where they come into contact with the inner walls of the wings (341.1) of the first piece. The arms (349) have a length such that when they come into contact with the wings (341.1), they impose an outward movement, putting the snap beads (341.2) in forced support in the grooves (342.2) .

EXAMPLE 5 (FIGS. 5a and 5b)

A fifth embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b . The connecting element (55) comprises a lower element (35) having a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (45) having a second bearing wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The lower member (35) comprises a first piece (351) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (352) which comprises said first bearing wall (30). The first piece (351) and the second piece (352) are interconnected by a pantograph (354), the retractor function being provided by the screw-nut connection of the pantograph, the braces transforming the horizontal movement in vertical movement. A handle (357) is used to manually turn the threaded rod (358) of the pantograph.

EXAMPLE 6 (FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c)

A sixth embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 6a, 6b and 6c . The connecting element (56) comprises a lower element (36) having a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (46) having a second bearing wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The lower member (36) includes a first piece (361) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (362) which includes said first support wall (30). The first piece (361) and the second piece (362) are interconnected by a connection (363) type "sliding support corners". The first piece (361) is secured, by means of an intermediate piece (364), an inclined face (364.1). The second piece (362) is provided with an inclined face (362.1) placed opposite the inclined face (364.1) of the intermediate piece (364). Relative movement of the first piece (361) relative to the second piece (362) is achieved by sliding on said inclined faces (364.1) and (362.1). This results in a displacement which moves the bearing face (30) closer to or closer to the upper element of the bearing face (40) of the lower element. In a variant, the first piece (361) and the intermediate piece (364) form a single piece.

The first piece (361) and the second piece (362) are made integral with a screw (365) whose head is supported on the upper face of the first piece (361) and whose threaded shaft is screwed in a threaded bore formed in the second piece (362). Said threaded barrel passes through oblong bores (3610) and (3640) formed in the first piece (361) and the intermediate piece (364). By unscrewing the screw (365), incompletely so as to hold the first and second integral parts, and by acting on the head of said screw, the bearing faces (30) and (40) can be brought closer together (movement towards the left), or move them away (movement to the right) and finally "freeze" the new gap obtained between the bearing faces by screwing the screw (365) again.

The inner floor panel (21) is provided with an opening (22) formed in line with the orifice (42) formed in the second support wall (40). In this way, an operator can, from the top of the internal floor, have access to the lower element, in particular to the screw (365). After proceeding as indicated in the preceding paragraph, an operator can, from the top of the internal floor, adjust and then fix the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) to the value desired.

The inner floor panel is also provided with openings arranged in line with the attachment points (13) of the first support wall (30) on the floor of the frame structure (1). In this way, an operator can, from the top of the internal floor, achieve the attachment of the first support wall on the floor of the frame structure.

EXAMPLE 7 (FIG. 7)

A seventh embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in figure 7 . The connecting element (57) comprises a lower element (37) having a first bearing wall (30), an upper element (47) having a second bearing wall (40), and an elastic mass (6). The upper member (47) comprises a first piece (471) which is adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second piece (472) which comprises said second bearing wall (40). The first piece (471) and the second piece (472) are interconnected by a connection (473) of screw-nut type, the nut function being provided directly by the second piece (472), which is provided with a bore Threaded, the screw function being ensured, as in Example 3, by a sleeve (474) externally threaded and operable in rotation through a notch form (474.1).

In this embodiment, it is the upper element that is subdivided into two parts. The pin (not shown) which retains said sleeve (474) externally threaded is here integral with the finger (478) of the ball joint (477), the first piece (471) and the second piece (472) forming between them a ball joint finger, which blocks the three translations and the rotation around the axis of the finger but leaves free the two other rotations. The ball (477) can pivot in the spherical cavity formed in the first piece (471) with the possibility of rotating about two axes perpendicular to said finger (478), in the extension of which is the pin which holds the sleeve (474). ). By combining these rotations, it is possible, during the assembly of the inner floor panel, to adjust the positioning of said inner floor panel with respect to the side walls of the railway vehicle, while correcting the offset between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) due to the inclination of the finger, with the aid of said sleeve (474). Indeed, according to the number of turns imposed on the threaded sleeve (474), the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) can be adjusted to the desired distance.

To adjust the lateral positioning of the inner floor panel, it is advantageous to equip it with at least three elastic connection elements of this example. Before laying, the gap between the first support wall and the second support wall is adjusted to a predefined standard value. During the establishment of the inner floor panel, the fingers of these three elastic connecting elements are oriented so as to have the good distance from the side walls while actuating the threaded sleeve to compensate for the effect of the inclination of the spherical pivot link finger and maintain good horizontality. Once the lateral positioning obtained, it activates, if necessary, again the set of threaded sleeves to reach the target altitude.

Such a connecting element may not be part of these first three connecting elements. In this case, before the installation of the panel, the distance between the first bearing wall and the second support wall is fixed at a predefined value lower than the previous one and the threaded sleeve is actuated to increase the said gap up to the difference in levels between the first support wall and the second support wall corresponds exactly to the actual level difference between the internal floor and the floor of the cauldron at said connecting element. With such a connecting element, it is possible to fix the first support wall lying flat on the floor of the frame structure and the second support wall lying flat on the internal floor panel, even if these are not not perfectly parallel to each other.

EXAMPLE 8 (Figure 8).

An eighth embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in figure 8 .

The connecting member (58) comprises a lower member (38) having a first bearing wall (30 '), an upper member (48) having a second bearing wall (40), and a mass elastic (6). The first bearing wall (30 ') has a periphery surrounded by a continuous bead (300), which delimits the layer of adhesive material (9) deposited on said bearing face. Advantageously, the deposition of the adhesive material is performed on all the connecting elements, just before the installation of the internal floor panel on the floor of the frame structure, the gaps between the first support wall and the second wall of support having been fixed to said first or second predetermined value, depending on whether the connecting element concerned is part of the first three connecting elements or the following.

The upper element (48) comprises a first part (481), which is tubular, threaded internally and adjacent to the elastic mass (6) by its outer wall, and a second part (482) which comprises said second support wall (40). The first piece (481) and the second piece (482) are interconnected by a connection (483) of screw-nut type, the nut function being provided by the second piece (482), which comprises a cylindrical skirt (484) provided on its outer wall of a screw thread which cooperates with the screw thread formed on the inner wall of the first piece (481), the latter having a tubular shape.

The connecting element (58) is placed on the floor panel (21) so as to be temporarily secured to it by means of the screws (10) which hold the second piece (482) of the element higher (48). Once the floor panel (21) is placed on the floor of the frame structure, the screws (10) are unscrewed until the rotation of the second piece (482) is possible and, with the aid of a complementary shape tool to the hexagonal cavity (484.1) formed on the upper face of the second piece (482), rotates said second piece (482) about the axis (100). The second piece (482) has a cylindrical male portion (484.2) inserted into the orifice (22) which passes through said floor panel (21) and acts as a rotating shaft in a hub.

In the case where this connecting element is part of the first three connecting elements used for mounting the panel on the floor of the frame structure as described above, the first piece (481) secured to the lower member (38) by the bias of the elastic mass (6) has been screwed in such a way that the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) corresponds to a first predetermined value associated with the altitude theoretical assigned to said internal floor. When laying the panel, the first bearing surface (30 ') of the element, provided with its layer of adhesive material (9), comes into contact with the floor of the chassis structure, which, after a certain time drying, rotates the lower member (38) and the first piece (481). By rotating the second part (482) around the axis (100), it is therefore possible, thanks to the screw-nut connection, to adjust the gap between the bearing faces so that the panel thus laid is perfectly horizontal and placed at the desired altitude.

In the case where this connecting element is not part of the first three connecting elements used for mounting the panel on the floor of the frame structure as described above, the first piece (481) integral with the lower member (38). ) through the elastic mass (6) has been screwed so that the distance between the first bearing wall (30) and the second bearing wall (40) is fixed at a second predetermined value, lower than said first predetermined value. In this way, when adjusting and fixing the first three connecting elements, the first support wall of this connecting element is not likely to immediately touch the floor of the frame structure. Once the first three connecting elements have been adjusted and fixed, the screws (10) are removed and the cylindrical male part (484.2) having been inserted into the bore (22) with a certain clearance, the whole of the element The link is dropped by gravity until the layer of adhesive material (9) adhered to the first bearing wall reaches the floor of the frame structure. By turning the second part (482) about the axis (100) with the form tool inserted in the hexagonal cavity (484.1), it is therefore possible, thanks to the screw-nut connection, to adjust the gap between the support faces so that the second support wall comes flush with the underside (24) of said panel. Using the screws (10), self-tapping, is fixed again the second support wall on the underside of said panel.

EXAMPLE 9 (FIG. 9)

A ninth embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in figure 9 . The connecting element (59) comprises a lower element (39) which has a first support wall (30 '), an upper element (49), which has a second support wall (40), and a mass elastic (6). The upper element (49) comprises a first part (491) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) by its outer wall and having a tubular portion (491.1) threaded on its outer wall. The upper member (49) also includes a second piece (492) which includes said second bearing wall (40). The first piece (491) and the second piece (492) are interconnected by a connection (493) of screw-nut type, the nut function being provided directly by the second piece (492), which comprises a cylindrical skirt (494). ) provided with a screw thread on its inner wall which cooperates with the screw thread formed on the outer wall of the tubular portion (491.1) of the first piece (491).

The first support wall (30 ') has a periphery surrounded by a continuous bead (300), so that when the connecting element is brought into contact with the floor of the chassis structure, it is formed between said floor and said first support wall a cavity (301) adapted to receive adhesive material (9) injected from above the floor internal. A vertical tubular duct (391) integral with said first piece, whose upper end is oriented towards the respective orifices (22) and (42) of the second support wall (40) and the panel (21) of internal floor and whose lower end opens into said cavity (301) guides the injection of adhesive material.

Advantageously, the upper end (392) of this tubular duct (391), accessible from the outside through the orifices (42) and (22), is provided on its inner wall, temporary securing means, here 6 which, in cooperation with an external tool manipulated from above the inner floor, rotates the lower member (39) and the first piece (491), which are therefore screwed or unscrewed relative to the second piece (492) attached to the inner floor panel (21).

Here, the connecting element (59) is fixed on the internal floor panel (21) by screwing the second support wall (40) onto the lower face (24) of said panel. As in the previous example, it is possible to temporarily fix the connecting element before the panel is laid and to proceed, at the time of installation, in two different ways, depending on whether the connecting element is used among the three first or next. However, this embodiment allowing the injection of adhesive material after the introduction of the panel, can advantageously, at least when the connecting element is not part of the first three, permanently fix the connecting element on the inner floor panel before the laying thereof: the first piece (491), secured to the lower member (39) through the elastic mass (6), has been advantageously screwed so that the distance between the first support wall (30) and the second support wall (40) is set at a second predetermined value less than the first predetermined value which corresponds to the theoretical difference in levels between the internal floor and the floor of the frame structure and, once the panel is placed on the floor of the frame structure, the first member (39), the elastic mass (6) and the first piece (491) are rotated by means of a tool of shape made integral in rotation with the cylindrical duct (391) thanks to the hexagon of the end (392) of said cylindrical duct until the end of the bead (300) of the first support wall (30) reaches the second support wall (40) and then remove the tool to release the conduit and then inject the adhesive material in the cavity (301). Advantageously, said adhesive material is a polyuretane mastic, a silicone mastic or an acrylic mastic.

Claims (17)

1. Noise- and vibration-damping elastic connector (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59) designed for floating installation of an internal floor (2) over a chassis floor (1), comprising:

   a) a lower part (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39) having a first bearing wall (30,30') intended to be fastened to the floor (1) of said chassis;

   b) an upper part (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49), having a second bearing wall (40) very similar to the first, intended to be fastened to said internal floor;

   c) an elastic mass (6) positioned between said lower and upper parts, such that the lower part and upper part are able to move relative to each other without coming into contact; either of said parts separated by said elastic mass, i.e. the lower part or upper part, respectively, comprising two or more parts able to move relative to one another in a direction (100) essentially perpendicular to said bearing walls, the first of which (311, 321, 331, 341, 351, 361, 471, 481, 491) being adjacent to said elastic mass and the second of which
   (312, 322, 332, 342, 352, 362, 472, 482, 492) being or comprising said first bearing wall or second bearing wall, respectively;
   said lower or upper part, respectively, being optionally equipped with a spacer (314, 324, 334, 354, 364, 474, 484, 494), that may be moved manually or by means of an actuator powered by an auxiliary power source, causing the first part to move relative to the second part,
   said lower or upper part, respectively,
   being optionally equipped with an immobilising device (345) that immobilises said first part relative to said second part, such that said first bearing wall and said second bearing wall may be kept a constant distance apart, enabling a controlled difference in level to be maintained between said internal floor and the floor of said chassis, wherein said second bearing wall contains an orifice (42) of sufficient diameter to afford access to said first bearing wall and, optionally, to said spacer or said actuator and/or said immobilising device.
2. Elastic connector (51, 52, 53, 54) under claim 1, wherein a thin sheet or layer (7) of elastic, insulating material is bonded to second bearing wall.
3. Connector (51) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (31) comprises a first part (311) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (312) comprising the first bearing wall (30), the first part (311) being reamed (311.1) such that it may slide along a shaft (318) attached to the second part (312) perpendicular to said first bearing wall (30), movement of said first part relative to second part being enabled by two intermediate parts (314 and 314') in the form of symmetrically arranged wedges connected by a spring (316) forcing them together, causing the upper part to rise above the lower part, said raising being limited or inhibited by the presence of a nut (315), which may be screwed in to a greater or lesser extent along the upper threaded section of said shaft (318).
4. Connector (52) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (32) comprises a first part (321) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (322) comprising said first bearing wall (30), said first part (321) and said second part (322) being connected together by a cylinder (326).
5. Connector (53) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (33) comprises a first part (331) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (332) comprising said first bearing wall (30) and a spindle (335) aligned perpendicular to said first bearing wall (30), the first part (331) and the second part (332) being connected together by a screw-and-nut fastener (333), the nut function being performed by a part (337) joined to the first part (331) having a threaded reamed hole, and the screw function being performed by an externally threaded sleeve (334) secured to said second part (332) by the head (335.1) of said spindle, while being free to rotate radially around said spindle.
6. Connector (54) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (34) comprises a first part (341) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (342) comprising said first bearing wall (30), said first part and said second part (343) being linked by a slide fitting, with the inverted U formed by the fins (341.1) on the first part (341) sliding into the space defined by the fins (342.1) on the second part (342), the outer surface of the fins (341.1) being equipped with a ridged ratchet mechanism (341.2) and the inner surface of the fins (342.1) being equipped with multiple grooves (342.2) matching the shape of said ridge.
7. Connector (54) under claim 6, in which a pivoting catch (348) attached to said first part, including a grasping head (347), has an arm (349) of a length such that, when said grasping head is actuated and comes into contact with said fins (341.1), it displaces said fins outward, pressing said ratchet ridges (341.2) into said grooves (342.2).
8. Connector (55) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (35) comprises a first part (351) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (352) comprising said first bearing wall (30), said first part (351) and said second part (352) being connected together by a pantograph (354).
9. Connector (56) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower part (36) comprises a first part (361) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (362) comprising said first bearing wall (30), said first part (361) and said second part (362) comprising or being attached to inclined walls along which they may slide, the first part (361) and the second part (362) being fastened together by means of a screw (365) having its head bearing on the upper surface of the first part (361) and its threaded shank screwed into a threaded hole reamed into the second part (362).
10. Connector (57) under claim 1 or 2,wherein the upper part (47) comprises a first part (471) adjacent to the elastic mass (6) and a second part (472) comprising said second bearing wall (40), said first part (471) and said second part (472) being connected together by a screw-and-nut fastener (473), the nut function being performed directly by the second part (472), having a threaded reamed hole, and the screw function being performed by an externally threaded sleeve (474) that may be rotated by means of a shaped groove (474.1), said sleeve being secured to the rod (478) of a ball joint (477) that is able to rotate inside a spherical cavity in the first part (471).
11. Connector (58) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper part (48) comprises a tubular, internally-threaded first part (481) having its outer wall adjacent to the elastic mass (6), and a second part (482) comprising said second bearing wall (40), said first part (481) and said second part (482) being connected together by a screw-and-nut fastener (483), the nut function being performed directly by the second part (482), which includes a cylindrical skirt (484) having a thread on its outer wall that engages with the thread on the inner wall of the first part (481), said first bearing wall either being coated with adhesive or designed to be covered with a layer of adhesive material.
12. Connector (59) under claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper part (49) comprises a tubular, internally-threaded first part (491) having its outer wall adjacent to the elastic mass (6), and a second part (492) comprising said second bearing wall (40), said first part (491) and said second part (492) being connected together by a screw-and-nut fastener (493), the nut function being performed directly by the second part (492), which includes a cylindrical skirt (494) having a thread on its outer wall that engages with the thread on the inner wall of said first part (491), the first bearing wall (30') having a continuous ridge (300) around its perimeter, such that mating the connector with the chassis floor forms a cavity (301) between said chassis floor and said first bearing wall (30'), into which adhesive material (8) may be injected from above the internal floor through a tube (391) attached to said first part, the top end of which is aligned with the orifice (42) in the second bearing wall (40) and the bottom end of which opens into said cavity.
13. Internal floor (2) panel (21), designed to be assembled in a floating installation over the floor of a chassis, wherein the panel is equipped with two or more connectors (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59) under any of claims 1 to 12.
14. Internal floor (2) panel (21) under claim 13, wherein the panel has openings (22) coinciding with the orifices (42) in the second bearing wall (40) of said connectors.
15. Internal floor (2) panel (21) under claim 13 or 14, wherein the panel also has openings (23) coinciding with the anchor points (13), enabling the first bearing wall (30) of said connectors to be fastened to the chassis floor (1).
16. Assembly process for mounting an internal floor to in a floating installation above the floor (1) on a rail truck or other chassis, wherein it comprises the following steps:

    a) Obtain internal floor panels (21) under any of claims 13 to 15;

    b) Install said internal floor panels over the chassis floor, and for each internal floor panel (21):

    b1) Fasten the first bearing wall (30) of three connectors under any of claims 1 to 12 to the chassis floor (1), setting the distance between said first bearing wall and second bearing wall (40) to a first predetermined value;

    b2) For each remaining connector, adjust the gap between said first part and said second part such that the first part is flush with the chassis floor, Immobilise said first part relative to said second part and fasten said first bearing wall to said chassis floor.
17. Process under claim 16 whereby:

    - During step a), obtain internal floor panels (21) on which said first three connectors have been positioned such that said panels rest on the chassis floor in stable isostatic conditions, with the other elastic connectors adjusted such that the distance between the first bearing wall and the second bearing wall is a second predetermined value, smaller than the first predetermined value;

    - During step b1, secure the first three elastic connectors and then,

    - During an intermediate step between b1) and b2), adjust the gap between said first part and said second part of each of the first three elastic connectors such that said internal floor panel is perfectly horizontal, at the desired altitude and in the correct lateral position, and then use an immobilising product to lock the gap between the first part and second part of each of said first three elastic connectors before proceeding to step b2).

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