GB1580547A - Railway equipment - Google Patents

Description

(54) RAILWAY EQUIPMENT (71) We, GYRO MINING TRANSPORT LIMITED of Hellaby Industrial Estate, Hellaby, Nr Rotherham S66 8QB (formerly of 24 Eastgate, Barnsley) a British Company, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particuarly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to railway equipment, particulary for underground use. Such equipment may be for carrying conventional, locomotive-hauled rolling stock, or alternatively may be of the type where rail vehicles are clamped to a driven and hence tensioned haulage rope located between the rails and extending in the direction thereof, with a return run of the rope usually located outside the rails.At various locations underground, there is a tendency for the rolling stock or rail vehicles to become unstable and consequently de-railed. Such locations are for Instance where the vehicles have to negotiate curves. With rope hauled vehicles, this also occurs where there is a fall or depression in the mine floor because the tensioning in the rope tries to lift the rope and hence the vehicle.

According to the present invention, railway equipment comprises a pair of spaced apart, flat-bottomed railway rails, the heads of which rails are engaged by leading and trailing pairs of flanged wheels of a rail vehicle, the rail engaging wheels being rotatable about axes extending transversely of the direction of movement of the rail vehicle along the rails, and the vehicle being provided intermediate the leading and trailing pairs of wheels with a pair of trapping wheels, rotatable about upwardly extending axes, one trapping wheel being located at each side of the vehicle and a periphery of each trapping wheel engageable with a trapping beam of inverted "L"-section or square "C"section positioned adjacent each rail at locations of presumed rail vehicle instability, the beams being carried on support arms extending upwardly from a common base member which passes beneath the pair of rails.

Thus, the engagement of the trapping beam by the side wheels of the rail vehicle ensures maintenance of engagement of the rail wheels with the rail heads even at locations where there is the tendency for one or more rail wheels to be lifted from the rail head(s).

The vehicle may be a rail car or a bogie.

Preferably one of the two trapping beams is positioned adjacent the outerside of each rail. Another preferred feature is to locate the upper flange of the trapping beam in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of the rail wheels of the vehicle, with this flange extended into close proximity with the rail wheels, such that the upper flange aids the rails in steering the rail wheels e.g. of a bogie, around a corner. In this respect each rail wheel may be provided with a cast iron outer cap intended to engage the upper flange at the outside of a curve.

At a curve, the base members may be segmental in plan of appropriate segment angle to radius of curvature to the curve involved.

The rail equipment is further improved, where the vehicle is a bogie by comprising power means to adjust the position of the axes of rotation of the wheels with respect to their bogie, brake pads carried by each bogie and adapted to engage/disengage an associated rail head upon activation of the power means to cause lowering/raising of the bogies with respect to the rail heads, and a stub shaft projecting from each wheel hub into an elongate aperture of a beam, the beam extending in the direction of the railway rails and such beams being provided at locations along the rails where it is desired to brake a vehicle.

Thus, the vehicle is braked by actuating the power means to lower the bogie to bring the brake pads into engagement with the rail heads so that the bogies engage the rail heads via the pads rather than via the wheels, while continued activation of the power means raises the wheels from the rail heads until such time as the stub shafts abut an upper portion of the aperture of the beam, whereby a powered braking effect is attained by the pads acting downwardly on the rail head and the stub shafts acting upwardly on the beam.

Preferably, a power means is provided at each side of each bogie, and conveniently, this may be in the form of a piston cylinder device, preferably hydraulic.

Thus, apart from employing the beam for trapping purposes, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the beam may be additionally employed for braking purposes so that the beam, at locations where the double function of trapping and braking is required, simultaneously serves the two purposes. invention will The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of railway equipment in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a bogie of one vehicle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the bogie of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a curve in the rails of rail way equipment of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 shows an end elevation of second embodiment of bogie location on line V-V of Figure 4; and Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 5 but shows that bogie on the line VI-VI of Figure 4.

In the drawings, like components of both embodiments have been accorded like reference numerals.

In the drawings, the railway equipment can be seen to comprise a pair of spaced apart, conventional flat bottomed railway rails 1 having a head 2 and mounted on sleepers 3. Seated on the rails 1, as indicated in Figure 1 is a train of rail vehicles comprising a leading vehicle 4 mounted on identical leading and trailing bogies 5, while succeeding vehicles 6 are constituted by conventional, shortwheelbased rail cars, with conventional couplings 7 between respective vehicles. In Figure 1, the vehicle 4 is indicated as connected to a conventional haulage rope 8, but alternatively, the vehicle can incorporate elements of a linear motor, with the reaction member of the motor carried between the rails 1.

As indicated in Figures 2 to 4, some sleepers carry at each end thereof and at a location of presumed vehicle instability e.g. the curve shown in Figure 4, an upwardly extending support arm 9, which arm in turn carnes an inverted "L"-section trapping beam 10.

As can also be seen in Figures 2 and 3, each bogie 5 comprises a frame 11 and, at each side of the bogie, leading and trailing wheels 12, each wheel having a flange 13 and a frusto-conical rail engaging periphery 14.

Each wheel 12 has an axis of rotation 15, extending laterally with respect to the direction of travel of the bogie along the rails 1, and each is mounted on a support arm 16 pivotally attached about the suspension axis 17 to the frame 11. The arms 16 at each side of the bogie are pivotally connected about axes 18 to a common power means constituted by a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 19, operation of which displaces the arms 16 about the axes 17 and hence displaces the wheel rotation axes 15, with respect to the bogie 4.

At each side of the frame 11 and between the leading and trailing wheels 12, is carried a brake pad 20 engageable with the rail head 2 to act as a track brake for parking or emergency purposes, upon exhaustion of fluid from the hydraulic unit 19. Furthermore, the wheels 12 are each provided with a stub shaft 21, adapted to lie in close proximity to the trapping beam 10 as indicated in Figure 3. Also, between the leading and trailing wheels 12 and at each side of the bogie is a trapping wheel 22 (Figure 1) rotatable about vertical axis, the periphery of which trapping wheel 22 engages a portion of the trapping beam 10 to effect bogie guidance around a curve for example. The sleepers 3 also carry, where appropriate, guides 23 and traps 24 for the rope 8.

In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the bogie is of a kind without stub shafts 21 but it is provided with trapping wheels 22, as indicated.

With the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the bogie 4 is in a running condition in its positions shown in Figures 1 and 3 with the hydraulic units 19 partially extended to suspend the vehicle 4 at the desired height and to lift the brake pads 20 from the rail heads 2.

When the rail vehicles approach a location of presumed or potential instability e.g. a curve, then trapping beams 10 are provided along this location, therebv ensuring that any tendency for the rail wheels 12 to lift from the rails 1 is counted by the trapping wheel 22, at one or both sides of the vehicle, engaging the adjacent trapping beam 10. Furthermore, when it is desired to apply the brake pads 20, fluid is exhausted from the units 19 and initially the brake pads contact the rail heads so that the weight of the vehicle 3 is transmitted to the rails 1, via the brake pads. However, continued retraction of the units 19 has the effect of lifting the wheels 12 clear of the rails 1 until their stub shafts 21 engage the adjacent trapping beam 10, thereby producing the enhanced braking effect powered by the units 19.

In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the feature of trapping wheels 22 being engageable with trapping rails 10 is again present but with the absence of stub shafts 21 no enhanced braking effect is possible.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Railway equipment, particularly for mines, comprising a pair of spaced apart, flat-bottomed railway rails, the heads of which rails are engaged by leading and trailing pairs of flanged wheels of a rail vehicle, the rail engaging wheels being rotatable about axes extending transversely of the direction of movement of the rail vehicle along the rails, and the vehicle being provided intermediate the leading and trailing pairs of wheels with a pair of trapping wheels, rotatable about upwardly extending axes, one trapping wheel being located at each side of the vehicle and a periphery of each trapping wheel engageable with a trapping beam of inverted "L"-section or square C"- section positioned adjacent each rail at locations of presumed rail vehicle instability, the beams being carried on support arms extending upwardly from a common base member which passes beneath the pair of rails.

2. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a rail car.

3. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bogie.

4. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein one of the two trapping beams is positioned adjacent the outer side of each rail.

5. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the upper flange of the trapping beam is located in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of the rail wheels of the vehicle, with this flange extended into close proximity with the rail wheels.

6. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each rail wheel is provided with a cast iron outer cap intended to engage the upper flange at the outside of a curve.

7. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at a curve, the base members are segmental in plan of appropriate segment angle to radius of curvature to the curve involved.

8. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 3, and any Claim appendant thereto, comprising power means to adjust the position of the axes of rotation of the wheels with respect to their bogie, brake pads carried by each bogie and adapted to engage/disengage any associated rail head upon activation of the power means to cause lowering/raising of the bogies with respect to the rail heads, and a stub shaft projecting from each wheel hub into an elongate aperture of a beam, the beam extending in the direction of the railway rails and such beams being provided at locations along the rails where it is desired to brake a vehicle.

9. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 8, wherein a power means is provided at each side of each bogie.

10. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein each power means is in the form of hydraulic piston and cylinder device.

11. Railway equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Railway equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the feature of trapping wheels 22 being engageable with trapping rails 10 is again present but with the absence of stub shafts 21 no enhanced braking effect is possible. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Railway equipment, particularly for mines, comprising a pair of spaced apart, flat-bottomed railway rails, the heads of which rails are engaged by leading and trailing pairs of flanged wheels of a rail vehicle, the rail engaging wheels being rotatable about axes extending transversely of the direction of movement of the rail vehicle along the rails, and the vehicle being provided intermediate the leading and trailing pairs of wheels with a pair of trapping wheels, rotatable about upwardly extending axes, one trapping wheel being located at each side of the vehicle and a periphery of each trapping wheel engageable with a trapping beam of inverted "L"-section or square C"- section positioned adjacent each rail at locations of presumed rail vehicle instability, the beams being carried on support arms extending upwardly from a common base member which passes beneath the pair of rails.

2. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a rail car.

3. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bogie.

4. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein one of the two trapping beams is positioned adjacent the outer side of each rail.

5. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the upper flange of the trapping beam is located in a plane which passes through the axis of rotation of the rail wheels of the vehicle, with this flange extended into close proximity with the rail wheels.

6. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each rail wheel is provided with a cast iron outer cap intended to engage the upper flange at the outside of a curve.

7. Railway equipment as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at a curve, the base members are segmental in plan of appropriate segment angle to radius of curvature to the curve involved.

8. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 3, and any Claim appendant thereto, comprising power means to adjust the position of the axes of rotation of the wheels with respect to their bogie, brake pads carried by each bogie and adapted to engage/disengage any associated rail head upon activation of the power means to cause lowering/raising of the bogies with respect to the rail heads, and a stub shaft projecting from each wheel hub into an elongate aperture of a beam, the beam extending in the direction of the railway rails and such beams being provided at locations along the rails where it is desired to brake a vehicle.

9. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 8, wherein a power means is provided at each side of each bogie.

10. Railway equipment as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein each power means is in the form of hydraulic piston and cylinder device.

11. Railway equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Railway equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.