Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
  • B61L3/00—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal
  • B61L3/02—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control
  • B61L3/08—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control controlling electrically
  • B61L3/12—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control controlling electrically using magnetic or electrostatic induction; using radio waves
  • B61L3/125—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control controlling electrically using magnetic or electrostatic induction; using radio waves using short-range radio transmission
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
  • B61L3/00—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal
  • B61L3/02—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control
  • B61L3/08—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control controlling electrically
  • B61L3/12—Devices along the route for controlling devices on the vehicle or train, e.g. to release brake or to operate a warning signal at selected places along the route, e.g. intermittent control simultaneous mechanical and electrical control controlling electrically using magnetic or electrostatic induction; using radio waves
  • B61L3/126—Constructional details
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
  • E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
  • E01B26/00—Tracks or track components not covered by any one of the preceding groups

Definitions

• the following relates to a protection device for a balise; an assembly comprising the protection device and the balise; and a method for assembling the same.
• a balise is an electronic beacon or transponder placed between the rails of a railway as part of an automatic train protection system. They are normally attached to a sleeper. Beautyses are used to transmit information to trains, such as speed limits, train identification, and track layout.
• the protection device may be a box that provides shielding of the balise and/or enhances the strength of its connection to the sleeper.
• balise protection devices that offer improved protection and functionality.
• the invention relates to an improved balise protection device and is defined by the appended independent claims. Some optional features are defined by the dependent claims.
• a protection device for a balise comprising a base and a lid;
• a method of assembling the device of the first aspect with a balise comprising:
• the subsequent description relates to a protection device 10 for a balise 20 that is receivable in the protection device 10.
• the protection device 10 comprises a base 100 and a lid 200.
• the lid 200 is attachable to the base 100 to define a body 30 that at least partially encloses a compartment 101 of the base 100 in which the balise 20 is receivable.
• a joint 31 is defined at an outer surface 32 of the body 30 where the base 100 meets the lid 100.
• the joint 31 comprises two widthways portions 31A, 31B that extend in a width direction W of the device 10 and are separated in a length direction L of the device 10.
• the device 10 further comprises two deflector plates 300.
• the deflector plates 300 are each mountable to the body 30 to cover a respective widthways portion 31A, 31B of the joint 31.
• the device 10 is configured for attachment to a railway sleeper 40 (as shown in Fig. 4 ) so that the width direction (W) of the device 10 extends parallel to the railway sleeper 40 and the length direction (L) of the device extends parallel to the rails 50.
• the deflector plates 300 face the direction of travel of rail traffic passing over the protection device 10.
• the purpose of the deflector plates 300 is to help secure the lid 200 to the base 100. This is achieved by the deflector plates 300 at least partially covering the widthways joint 31A, 31B to overlap a portion of the lid 200.
• the base 100 is shown with the lid 200 removed in Fig. 3 .
• the base 100 comprises an upper surface 102 and a lower surface 104.
• the upper surface 102 is separated from the lower surface 104 by opposing lateral surfaces 107.
• the base 100 may be a solid body that is machined or moulded from any suitable mouldable material.
• the base 100 is made of a non-metallic material such as glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP). Manufacturing the base 100 from a non-metallic material prevents interference with electronic signals passing two and from the balise 20.
• GFRP glass fibre reinforced plastic
• the upper surface 102 of the base 100 comprises a central portion 102C that is shaped to form a compartment 101 for the balise 20.
• the compartment 101 is formed as a channel 101 that extends in the width direction W of the device 10.
• the compartment 101 is open at the lateral surfaces 107 of the base 100. In this way, the balise 20 can be slid into the compartment 101 in the width direction W.
• the compartment's 101 dimension in the length direction L of the device is substantially equal to the equivalent dimension of the balise 20 so that the balise 20 is securely located in the length direction L when received in the compartment 101.
• the upper surface 102 of the base 100 further comprises grooves 102G that are formed either side the central portion 102C; and end surfaces 102E that extend from the grooves 102G to respective outer edges 103 of the base 100.
• the grooves 102G extend in the width direction W of the device 10 and are open at the lateral surfaces 107 of the base 100.
• the end surfaces 102E extend at an oblique angle to a generally planar lower surface 104 of the base 100 to provide the base 100 with pointed ends 105.
• the lid 200 comprises an upper surface 202 and a lower surface 204.
• the upper surface is separated from the lower surface by opposing lateral surfaces 205.
• the lid 200 may be a solid body that is machined or moulded from any suitable mouldable material.
• the lid 200 is made of a non-metallic material such as glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP). Manufacturing the lid 200 from a non-metallic material prevents interference with electronic signals passing two and from the balise 20.
• GFRP glass fibre reinforced plastic
• the upper surface 202 of the lid 200 comprises a middle upper surface 202MU and end surfaces 202E, either side the middle upper surface 202MU.
• the end surfaces 202E extend to ends 206 of the lid 200 and slope downwards from the middle upper surface 202MU so that, when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100, the end surfaces 202E of the lid 200 slope downward from the middle upper surface 202MU toward respective end surfaces 102E of the base 100.
• the widthways portions 31A, 31B of the joint 31 are formed where the end surfaces 202E of the lid 200 meet the end surfaces 102E of the base 100. This means that the device 10 comprises a double-wedge profile with sloping ends that face the direction of travel of passing rail traffic.
• the upper surface 202 of the lid 200 is provided with a checker plate pattern to provide grip to the footwear of rail workers who may step on the device 10.
• the checker plate pattern may be formed directly in the upper surface 202 of the lid 200 or may be provided by a separate checker plate that is shaped to conform to the upper surface 202.
• the lower surface 204 of the lid 200 comprises a central portion 204C that is shaped to compliment the compartment 101 of the base 100 when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100.
• the central portion 204C is formed as a channel 101 that extends in the width direction W of the device 10 and is open at the lateral surfaces 205.
• the channel's 207 dimension in the length direction L is substantially equal to the equivalent dimension of the compartment 101 so that, when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100, the channel 207 of the lid 200 and the compartment 101 of the base 100 together form a chamber 34 having openings 33.
• the openings 33 are provided in opposing lateral surfaces 32A of the body 30 that are formed of the lateral surfaces 107, 205 of the base 100 and the lid 200.
• the openings 33 communicate the chamber 34 with an exterior of the device 10 and allow the balise 20 to be freely slid in and out of assembled device 10.
• the lower surface 204 of the lid 200 further comprises tongue portions 204T (hereinafter tongues 204T) formed either side the central portion 204C.
• the tongues 204T are formed in relief and extend in the width direction W to the lateral surfaces 205 of the lid 200.
• the tongues' 204T dimension in the length direction L is substantially equal to the equivalent dimension of the grooves 102G and are arranged so that the tongues 204T sit within respective grooves 102G when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100. Therefore, the tongues 204T locate the lid 200 in the length direction relative to the base 100.
• the lid 200 is provided with a first set of through holes 208 that extend between the end surfaces 202E of the upper surface 202 and lower surface 204 in the region of the tongues 204T.
• the through holes 208 are each configured to receive a screw fixing 209, such as a screw or bolt. While eight through holes 208 are illustrated (four each side), any number may be used as appropriate.
• the grooves 102G in the base 100 are provided with a corresponding first set of female threaded holes 108 for engaging the screw fixings 209.
• the through holes 208 are arranged to align with the female threaded holes 108 when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100 so that the screw fixings may be used to attach the lid 200 to the base 100.
• each deflector plate 300 comprises an upper wall 301 and a lower wall 302.
• the upper wall 301 of each deflector plate 300 is configured to cover a portion of the upper surface 32U of the body 30 and the lower wall 302 is configured to partially cover a portion of the lower surface 32L of the body 30.
• the portion of the upper surface 32U of the body 30 covered by the deflector plates 300 is formed of at least the end surfaces 102E of the base and a portion of the end surfaces 202E of the lid 200.
• the portion of lower surface 32L of the body covered by the deflector plates 300 is formed of a portion of the lower surface 104 of the base 100.
• the upper wall 301 extends from the lower wall 302 along a common edge 303.
• the upper wall 301 extends at an oblique angle to the lower wall 302 that is substantially equal to the angle of the pointed ends 105 of the base 100.
• the deflector plates 300 may further comprise ribs 306 (as in the illustrated example) that upstand between an inner surface of the upper wall 301 and an inner surface of the lower wall 302 to stiffen the deflector plate 300.
• Corresponding cut outs 109 are provided in the pointed ends 105 of the base 100 to receive the ribs 306.
• each deflector plate 300 is mounted to a respective pointed end 105 of the base 100 and screw fixings 209' are passed through openings in the lower wall of the deflector plate 300 for threaded engagement with female threaded holes at the lower surface 104 of the base 100.
• a tab 304 extends from an interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301.
• the interior edge 305 is opposite and parallel to the common edge 303.
• the tab 304 and only the tab 304 of each deflector plate 300 is arranged to extend over a respective widthways portion 31A, 31B of the joint 31.
• the tab 304 extends only partially along the full length of the interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301 and is centred along the interior edge 305.
• the lid 200 may be removed from the base 100 by removing the necessary screw fixings and sliding the lid 200 in the width direction W until the end surfaces 202E of the lid 200 are clear of respective tabs 304, whereupon the lid 200 may be lifted up and clear of the base 100. This allows for the lid 200 to be removed without removing the deflector plates 300, even where a full widthways movement of the lid 200 may be blocked by the rails 50.
• the tab 304 may extend no more than 60% along the full length of the interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301; or, preferably, no more than 50% along the full length of the interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301. In this way, each deflector plate 300 covers only a part of the respective widthways portion 31A, 31B of the joint 30 when attached to the body 30 of the device 10.
• the tab 304 may extend no more than 250mm along the interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301; or, preferably, no more than 200mm along the interior edge 305 of the upper wall 301.
• the lid 200 and the base 100 comprises respective sets of through holes 203, 106.
• Each through hole of the sets of through holes 203, 106 are configured to receive a screw fixing.
• the set of through holes 203 in the lid 200 are herein referred to as the 'set of lid through holes 203' and the set of through holes 106 in the base 100 are herein referred to as the 'set of base through holes 106'.
• the set of lid through holes 203 are arranged to align with the set of base through holes 106 when the lid 200 is attached to the base 100.
• the balise 20 is provided with through holes 21 (as shown in Fig.
• balise 20 may be secured within the device 10 by screw fixings 60 without needing a further closure for the chamber 34.
• a further advantage of this arrangement is that the balise 20 can be removed from the device 10 by simple removal of the screw fixings 60 from the through holes 21 of the balise 20, allowing the balise 20 to be slid out of the device 10 in the width direction W.
• the screw fixings 60 may be passed though the through holes 106, 203 of the base 100 and the lid 200 for engagement with the sleeper 40.
• the sleeper may be provided with female threaded holes for engagement with the screw fixings 60; alternatively the sleeper 40 may be provided with through holes to allow the screw fixings 60 to pass therethrough for securing with a nut.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Laying Of Electric Cables Or Lines Outside (AREA)
• Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Related Child Applications (2)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=89843426

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2024
  • 2024-02-02 EP EP24155621.6A patent/EP4596367B1/de active Active
  • 2024-02-02 EP EP24196813.0A patent/EP4600110B1/de active Active
• 2025
  • 2025-01-31 WO PCT/EP2025/052519 patent/WO2025163138A1/en active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

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