GB2028242A - A device for positioning the bearing chassis of a working unit of a railway track maintenance machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The bearing chassis (4) is displaceably mounted above, and extends transversely to, the track, and has support members (5), (6) which, in use, contact the rails (1, 2) and raising, lowering and locking means for the chassis, the bearing chassis (4) further including directional supports (11, 110), guide ramps (15), (150) therefor, the guide ramps being fixedly mounted on the chassis (7) of the machine and being displaceable transversely to the track by means of a motor (22), and retractable feeler rods (16, 160) which are moved into abutment with the rails by displacing the guide ramps, such abutment causing guiding, and thus accurate positioning of the support member (5) on the rails (1, 2) by virtue of the directional supports (11, 110) sliding along the guide ramps (15, 150). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for positioning the bearing chassis of a working unit of a railway-track maintenance machine The present invention relates to a device for positioning the bearing chassis of at least one working unit of a railway maintanence machine such as, for example, a measuring unit of a control rail-car or a unit for displacing or treating the gauge of a tamping-rectifier. In such machines, the bearing chassis is movable mounted above and transversely of the railway track and is provided with at least one support member, for example, a shoe or roller, intended to contact with at least one rail of the track when is use.

Devices of this general type are already known which comprise an electromechanical or hydraulic motor which the operator employs to lower the bearing chassis onto the track and to raise it after the work has been completed, and a locking member permitting the device to be maintained in its raised position after use. Such operations are carried out on the track by an operator who sits by the side of the region occupied by the bearing chassis. The raising and lowering of the chassis is controlled by push buttons. The operator is responsible for positioning the support member on the rail in its lowered position as well as for locking the chassis in its elevated position after use.

The locating of the support member of the bearing chassis on the rail does not present any major problem when the machine is stationary on a straight length of track. This is because the bearing chassis is mounted on the machine in a manner such that the support member extends perpendicularly to the rails. Accordingly, when the bearing chassis is lowered, the support member automatically assumes its correct position. On the other hand, on the curves of the track, this perpendicularly is no longer ensured because of the camber of the track, this being necessarily displaced from the axle of the machine. In such a case, the operator must lower the bearing chassis to substantially the level of the track, then pull it transversely so as to locate the support member above the rail, and finally, lower the chassis to bring itto rest.

This manual locating, is usually effected by a single operator in the case of a bearing chassis which is relatively light such as, for example, the bearing chassis of a measuring unit. However, the locating may nevertheless necessitate the assistance of several workers of the chassis is heavy. Whilst the number of bearing chassis provided on the machine is of greater consequence than the number of operators, the locating of the chassis on curves can take a long time. This is certainly the case in certain tamping-levelling-dressing machines which include up to six bearing chassis which are looked after by, at most, three or four men.

It is virtually impossible to control the locating of the bearing chassis solely from the control cabin of the machine. Accordingly, the presence of at least one workman on the track is usually indispensable even on those section of track which are being aligned. This is not without grave dangers, due to the passage of trains travelling on parallel tracks.

Railway administrators are becoming more and more insistent that such machine operators do not themselves descend onto the track and thereby expose themselves to this danger.

The present invention seeks to provide a device for locating a bearing chassis in position on the track which can be controlled exclusively from the control cabin of the machine, without necessitating the presence of a workman on the track.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device for positioning a bearing chassis of at least one working unit of railway track maintanence machine, the bearing chassis being displaceably mounted above the track and extending transversely thereto, the chassis having at least one support member which, in use, contacts at least one of the rails of the track, the device comprising at least one drive means for raising and lowering the bearing chassis and locking means for locking the bearing chassis in its operative position, the bearing chassis further comprising at least one directional support member fixedly mounted on the bearing chassis, at least one guide ramp being provided for the directional support member, which ramp is displaceable transversely with respect to the track, the ramp being pivotally mounted on a chassis of the maintanence machine, the device including at least one retractable feeler rod for abutting against one of the rails, motor means being provided for displacing the guide ramp whereby the guide ramp is displaced until the feeler rod contacts the rail, the bearing chassis then being lowered whereupon the support member is automatically guided and placed in contact with the rail by virtue of the directional support of the bearing chassis being caused to slide along the length of the guide ramp.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respectively an end elevational view and a side elevational view of a locating device in accordance with the present invention in its position of use.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the device of Figures 1 and 2 in the raised, inoperative position.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the device of Figures 1 to 3 in a position intermediate those shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the device of Figures 1 to 4 in its operative position on a portion of track differentto that shown in Figure 1; and Figures 6to 9 each show schematic end elevational views of four modified devices.

In Figures 1 and 2, a device for locating a bearing chassis is shown in its position of use on a railway track. The device is an alignment with two lines of rails 1 and 2 and with the sleepers 3 of the track. The device is intended to locate a bearing chassis 4 extending on a plane transverse to the track in position. The chassis 4 is provided with two flanged wheels or rollers 5 and 6 which are supported on the two rails 1 and 2 respectively. The bearing chassis 4 which, as shown, is of the type suitable for carrying a clinometer used for measuring the transverse inclination or camber of the track, is suspended from the chassis 7 of a railway maintenance machine (not shown). Such suspension is effected by two singleacting hydraulic jacks 8 and 9 which are interconnected in a plane transverse to the track.This arrangement permits the bearing chassis 4 to be raised, lowered and transversely displaced during its travel along the track. Two laterial centering guides 10, integrally formed with the chassis 7 of the machine, automatically centre the bearing chassis 4 in its raised inoperative position in a known manner.

These guides 10 are not shown in Figure 2 for the sake of clarity.

The device for positioning the bearing chassis 4 comprises two directional supports 11 and 110 in the form of cylindricai fingers fixed to the two lateral extremities of the chassis 4. A frame 12 is suspended from the chassis 7 of the machine by two push rods 13 and 14, these four integers forming a deformable jointed parallelogram. The frame 12 has two edges, each having an inclined, upwardly and outwardly facing edge portion 15 and 150 which form guide ramps for fingers 11 and 110 respectively of the chassis 4.

Two retractable abutment feelers 16 and 160 for the rails 1 and 2 are fixedly connected to the lower ends of two levers 17 and 170 respectively. These levers are hingedly mounted on the frame 12 at pivot points 18 and 180 respectively. A synchronisation rod 19 is hingedly mounted at each of its ends to the two levers 17 and 170 at pivot points 20 and 21 respectively. The spacing between the pivot points 17 and 18 and the pivot points 170 and 180 is substantially the same, and are so located that the levers 17 and 170 and the bar 19 form a Z-type arrangement.

Adouble-acting hydraulic jack 22 bears against the frame 12 and actuates the lever 170. Two end stops 23 are provided to limit the pivotable movement towards one another of the abutment feelers 16 and 160 when the levers 17 and 170 are pivoted with respect to the frame.

In this embodiment, the two edges of the frame forming the guide ramps are each shown as having the upper portion 15 and 150 respectively referred to hereinbefore and a lower portion which is perpendi cular to the plane of the track. The spacing betweeb these two lower portions corresponds substantially to the spacing between the two fingers 11 and 110 mounted on the bearing chassis 4.

The two levers 17 and 170 each have a stop member in the form of a small plate 24 connected to their upper ends. These stops are so located that when the device is moved into its inoperative position shown in Figure 3, the plates 24 extend perpendicularly to the two directional fingers 11 and 110 of the bearing chassis 4 thereby effectively locking the bearing chassis in its raised position. The construction and arrangement of the two levers 17 and 170, the two edges 15 and 150 forming the guide ramp and the two directional fingers 11 and 110 of the bearing chassis 4 is such that these integers are symmetrically disposed with respect to the vertical axis of the frame 12 which, in this embodiment, coincides with the vertical medial axis X of the track.

In Figure 3, the above-described device is shown in its inoperative raised position. However, in this Figure, the axis X of the track is shown as being spaced by the distance fwith respect to the axis y of the chassis 7 of the machine. This spacing-apart of the axes is caused by the camber or inclination of the track when the device is being used on a curved section of the track. In this raised position the bearing chassis 4 is prevented from lateral movement by the guides 10 and from vertical movement by the stops 24 of the levers 17 and 170, the abutment feelers located on the lower ends of the levers 17 and 170 abutting against the end stops 23 of the frame 12. The jack 22 is retracted as are the two jacks 7 and 9. The jacks 7 and 9 are now shown either in this Figure or in subsequent Figures, for the sake of clarity.

The first step in the positioning of the device is to raise the bearing chassis 4 to cause the disengage mentofthefingers 11 and 110 above the stops 24 of the levers 17 and 170. Hydraulic fluid is then admitted into a first chamber of the double-acting jack 22 which causes pivotal movement movement of the two levers 17 and 170 in the direction of the arrows and, synchronously therewith, the progressively lowering of the chassis 4 until the fingers 11 and 110 contact, and then slide on, the edges 15 and 150 of the frame forming the guide ramps. When these fingers 11 and 110 arrive at the vertical, lower portions of the walls of the frame 12, the bearing chassis is centered on the frame 12, as is shown in Figure 4. The jack 22 continues to act and the abutment feeler 160 of the lever 170 contacts the rail 2 adjacent thereto.The assembly of the frame 12 and the bearing chassis 4 is then displaced by this action, which progressively decreases the spacing-apart of the axes X and Z, Z being the axis oftheframe- chassis assembly. This continues until the abutment feeler 16 of the other lever 17 abuts the rail 1. In this latter position shown in Figure 5, the axis X and Z coincide due to the symmetry of the assembly of the device and to the synchronous pivotal movement of the two levers 17 and 170.

Finally, hydraulic fluid is admitted into the chamber of the jack 22 so as to cause retraction of the abutment feelers 16 and 160 by pivoting towards one another until they rest on their respective stops 23. The pressure is relieved in the lifting jacks of the bearing chassis 4 which is now ready for use and can freely follow the track, independently of the spacingapart of the chassis 7 of the machine from the level of the track.

It is to be noted herein that the retraction of the abutment feelers by the double-acting jack 22 can also be effected by using a spring linking the two levers 17 and 170 below their pivot parts 18 and 180 (Figure 1). In such a case, the jack 22 need only be a single-acting jack.

To return the bearing chassis 4 into the position shown in Figue 3, the levers 17 and 170 are opened out so as to displace the stops 24, the bearing chassis 4 is raised and centered by the guides 10, the levers 17 and 170 are brought back together to replace the stops 24 perpendicularly to the fingers 11 and 110 of the bearing chassis, then this latter is freed on the stops and, finally, the pressure is relieved in the jack 22.

The device for positoning the bearing chassis thus requires no manual intervention in order to locate the bearing chassis on the track and therefore lends itself readily to remote control from the control cabin of the machine. Thus, by using judiciously placed limit switches and indicator lamps which signal the satisfactory progress of each stage in a known manner, visual monitoring in situ is no longer necessary.

Such device, which permits the centering of the bearing chassis on the axis of the track is particularly suited for use if the clearance of the supports of the bearing chassis with respect to the two rails of the track is small, because this clearance is also equally divided. It is also suitable for the positioning of a bearing chassis having two axles by simple duplicating the device.

The embodiments shown in Figures 6 and 7 are equally suitable for positioning of a bearing chassis on the two rails of the track. In Figures 6 to 9, parts having the same functions as those of the device shown in Figures 1 to 5 have the same reference numerals.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the guide ramp is constituted by a substantially vertical slide 25 formed as a slot in the central region of the frame 12. A single directional finger 11, mounted in the central region of the bearing chassis (not shown) engages in this slide 25, so that the bearing chassis can be freely raised and lowered. However, the bearing chassis is prevented from lateral movement by the frame 12. This frame 12 is displaced laterally by two levers 17 and 170 identical to those already described. However, each lever is independently operated by a hydraulic jack 26 and 27 respectively acting on the frame 12. On the left hand side of the Figure, it can be seen that the frame 12 comprises a stop 28 limited the travel of the abutment feeler of the lever 17 whilst on the other side, the lever 170 is not so constrained.

So as to ensure, in use, a force supporting the lever 17 against the stop 28, the arms of the levers 17 and 170 are, in consequence, different. It is also possible to utilise a jack 26 which acts more strongly on the lever 17 than the jack 27 acting on the lever 170.

In this embodiment, the lever 17 is initially supported against the stop 28 by means of the jack 26, then the other jack 27 acts on the lever 170 until the two feelers 16 and 160 each contact a respective rail.

This embodiment is advantageously used if it is necessary to precisely support one of the support members of the bearing chassis on a rail, in this case, the rail 1, independently of the variations in the gauge clearance of the track on curved sections thereof. In this embodiment, the end stops limited the retraction of the levers are unnecessary due to the fact that the jacks 26 and 27 have a limited maximum extension. However, either limit system may be used in any of the devices described herein.

In a second variation shown in Figure 7, the frame 12 comprises a single lever 17 provided with a feeler rod 16 for a single rail 1. As in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the frame 12 comprises a limit stop 28 provided for limiting the movement of the feeler on this lever 17. The lever 17 is acted upon by a hudraulic jack 26 supported on the frame 12. A second hydraulic jack 29, supported on the chassis 7 of the machine, acts on the suspension rod 13 of the frame 12to permitthe displacementofthis latter until the rod 16 of the lever 17 abuts the rail 1, when the rod is supported against the stop 28. The guide ramp is of the type shown in Figures 1 to 5 but could equally be in the form of a slide 25 as shown in Figure 6.

This embodiment achieves the same result as that shown in Figure 6, but merely employs a single lever.

A third variation is shown in Figure 8. This is a simplified embodiment intended for positioning a bearing chassis having two support members, each intended to be contacted with the two rails 1 and 2 of the track. In this embodiment, the two feeler rods 16 and 160 are fixed to the lower end of two guide ramps in the form of arms 30 and 31 respectively, the arms being pivotally mounted on supports 32 and 33 respectively integral with the chassis of the machine.

Each arm 30 and 31 is actuated by a hydraulic jack 34 and 35 respectively, mounted on the chassis 7 of the machine. In this embodiment, the bearing chassis is provided with two directional fingers 11 and 110 located in the region of the head of the rails 1 and 2 so as to reduce the positional spacing caused by the difference in inclination of the arms 30 and 31 on a curve of the track to a minimum, when feelers are applied to the two rails, as shown in Figure 8.

This simplified embodiment is suitable for use when the positioned bearing chassis is located in the neighbourhood of an axle or a bogie of the machine, in a zone where the distance separating the axis of the track from the axis of the chassis of the machine is minimal when only a small inclination of the arms 30 and 31 with respect to the perpendicular to the lines of rails 1 and 2 is required.

The embodiment shown in Figure 9 is suitable for the positioning of a bearing chassis intended to be located against only a single rail 1, as is the case, for example, when the bearing chassis has levelling grippers intended to raise the rail 1.

In this embodiment, the bearing chassis is provided with two directional fingers 11 and 110 disposed one above the other but horizontally spaced from one another by the thickness of a guide ramp 37 carried by a frame 36. The frame is suspended from the chassis 7 of the machine by two tie or push rods 39 and 40, the rod 40 being constituted by a hydraulic jack. The guide ramp 37 has two opposed parallel edges which terminate at their lower ends in a feeler rod 16. A second hydraulic jack 41, mounted on the chassis 7 of the machine, actuates the suspension tie rod 39.

The guide ramp 37, the feeler 16 and the frame 36 form a rigid non-deformable assembly 38 which can be moved transversely to the track by the action of a jack 41. The assembly is retractable by pivoting, such pivoting being caused by a jack 40.

In use, the bearing chassis is lowered until its two fingers 11 and 110 are located at the level of the assembly 38 which is then pivoted by the jack 40 from its retracted position until the two fingers 11 and 110 abut on on each side of the rame 37. The assembly 38 is then displaced transversely by the jack 41 until the feeler rod 16 strikes against the rail 1.

The bearing chassis is then released, the support member is located on the rail 1 and the assembly 38 is pivoted in the direction opposite to that of retraction, thus freeing the two fingers 11 and 110.

Claims (13)

1. A device for positioning a bearing chassis of at least one working unit of a railway track maintenance machine, the bearing chassis being displaceably mounted above the track and extending transversely thereto, the chassis having at least one support member which, in use, contacts at least one of the rails of the track, the device comprising at least one drive means for raising and lowering the bearing chassis and locking means for locking the bearing chassis in its inoperative position, the bearing chassis further comprising at least one directional support member fixedly mounted on the bearing chassis, at least one guide ramp being provided for the directional support member, which ramp is displaceable transversely with respect to the track, the ramp being pivotally mounted on a chassis of the maintenance machine, the device including at least one retractable feeler rod for abutting against one of the rails, motor means being provided for displacing the guide ramp whereby the guide ramp is displaced until the feeler rod contacts the rail, the bearing chassis then being lowered whereupon the support member is automatically guided and placed in contact with the rail by virtue of the directional support of the bearing chassis being caused to slide along the length of the guide ramp.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the guide ramp is carried by a frame extending transversely to the track, the frame being suspended from the chassis of the machine by two tie rods so as to form a deformable parallelogram linkage.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the guide ramp is in the form of a substantially vertical slot in which the directional support of the bearing chassis engages.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the guide ramp is formed by two outwardly facing opposed edges of the frame, the bearing chassis comprising two directional supports co-operating one with each of the edges.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the feeler rod is affixed to the lower end of a lever pivotally mounted at its other end on the frame, the lever being retractable into an inoperative position and extendable into an operative position, the pivotal movement of the lever being limited by at least one end stop, the motor means for displacement of the guide ramp acting on the frame so as to actuate the lever.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 additionally comprising a second feeler rod for a second rail fixed to the lower extremity of a second lever also pivotally mounted at its upper end on the frame.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 additionally comprising a synchronisation rod pivotally mounted at its ends on the levers, the pivot points for the synchronisation rod being located equidistant from the pivotal axes of the levers but on opposite sides thereof so that the levers and the synchronisation rod together form a substantially Z-shaped arrangement, a single motor means acting on one of the levers whereby the pivoting of the two levers is synchronised.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein a stop is provided for the lever pivotally mounted on the frame, the stop extending perpendicularly to the directional support of the bearing chassis and being located in a position adjacent the end of the path of retraction of the lever, the stop thereby forming a locking mechanism for the bearing chassis in its inoperative position.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 additionally comprising a second motor means for displacing the frame, the second motor means being mounted on the chassis of the machine and actuating one of the two tie rods constituting the means for suspending the frame.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein one of the two tie rods forming the suspension of the frame is in the form of an extensible motor member, the frame, the guide ramp and the feeler rod form an indeformable rigid assembly which is movable transversely to the track by translation and is retractable by pivoting.

11. A device as claimed in any preceding claim comprising two directional supports each fixed to the bearing chassis and each being located substan tiallyvertically above a rail, two guide ramps being provided in the form of arms pivotally mounted on two supports integrally formed with the chassis of the machine, each ramp being situated substantially vertically above a rail, two feeler rods fixed one to the lower extremity of each of the two levers and two motors each actuating one of the two levers, the motors being mounted on the chassis of the machine.

12. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each feeler rod retreactable towards the interior of the track, in such a manner that it abuts against the interior flank of the head of the rail in its position of use.

13. A device for positioning the bearing chassis of a working unit of a railway maintenance vehicle constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5,6,7,8 or 9 of the accompanying drawings.