GB2092535A - Partition walls for railway wagons - Google Patents

Abstract

In covered railway wagons whose side doors can be opened for up to half the length of the wagon, slidable and lockable dividing walls are used as a safety device for the cargo during transport. Such dividing walls, acting as partition walls, comprise lateral uprights and cross- beams extending between the uprights, a layer of panels (32) being provided on each side of the dividing wall. Profile members (17) are used as the crossbeams, these profile members (17) including flanges having an at least two-fold thickness. Such a dividing wall has good cross-sectional characteristics and a high inherent rigidity. Any sag as a result of impact is absorbed flexibly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Partition walls for railway wagons This invention relates to partition walls for railway wagons, more particularly a slidable and lockable dividing wall having a supporting framework comprising lateral uprights and crossbeams extending between the uprights and rigidly connected to the uprights, a panel made of wood, plastics material or metal (e.g.

steel) being provided on each of the two sides of the partition wall.

In covered railway wagons whose side doors can be opened up to half the length of the wagon, slidable and lockable partition walls are used as a safety measure for preventing the cargo from sliding along the length of the wagon during transportation.

The use of such partition walls avoids the need to secure the cargo, which in many cases is goods stacked on pallets. In this case, the partition wall must withstand a load of approximately 5t when the wagon starts off at a speed of 1 1 km/h or more. The central point of stress of the cargo on the wall is at a point between 40 and 1 20 cm in height. The overall weight of the partition wall should not exceed 200kg.

A known lockable partition wall comprises lateral uprights of quadrilateral hollow profile members and horizontal crossbeams disposed between them as square timbers, the crossbeams being connected to the uprights by special clamps. A panel of plywood is screwed onto each side of the framework.

Another known lockable partition wall consists of circulating U-shaped profile members, a latticed wooden framework and plywood panels bonded to the framework.

It is also known to use light metal extrusions as multi-chamber hollow profile members for lockable partition walls. In this case, the support structure comprises four extrusions forming a horizontal superposed arrangement and two extrusions forming a vertical arrangement at the sides, the extrusions being multi-chamber hollow profile members with a lattice-like structure. Another known partition wall made of steel consists of quadrilateral hollow profile members in vertical arrangement at the sides, with trapezoidal profile members lying between them.

It is known that, in the case of these known partition walls, having regard to their permissible weight, the walls do not withstand the types of loads demanded of them of the types of loads to which they are subjected in practice. Buckling and folding occur. Cracks form to a certain extent in the outer panels of the walls.

It is desirable to provide a partition wall for railway wagons which can withstand the required loads without being unduly heavy and which has sufficient resistance to buckling and bending. The partition or dividing wall of the invention is distinguished by the fact that there are used for the crossbeams at least, profile members with flanges lying at least partly in at least double layers or doubled, where the surface of the flange faces the surface of the partition wall subjected to load and the ratio of the thickness (or width) of the web to the flange is at least 1:2.

By using such profile members in a particular arrangement, with regard to the effect of load on the partition wall, an increase in the cross-sectional characteristics can be achieved for a high inherent rigidity, but a large sag following a sudden load is flexibly absorbed due to the fact that the high moment of inertia at the moment of loading is supported by the surface friction between the individual profile members. The increased thickness of the profile members need to be present only at the particular points where this is necessary in accordance with the stress to which the wall is to be subjected. In addition, there can be a considerable saving on material at the other, less heavily stressed points. The requirement of a high resistance to buckling and bending can be fulfilled with a considerable saving in weight.A high load-bearing capacity is possible in respect of a force perpendicular to the surface of the partition wall, weight minimisation being achieved at the same time.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, single profile members, or profile members made of several single profile members may be used, the individual profile members being U-shaped or Z-shaped. In this case, the profile members can be arranged to abut one another at their open sides.

In a preferred embodiment, two profile members are stacked together symmetrically, the individual profile members having the same peripheral dimensions. This has the advantage that one and the same profile member is used. The peripheral dimensions of the profile members to be stacked can also be proportionally different. In both cases the increased thickness of the portion facing the partition wall is effected with one flange in each case. As least one other flange of a profile member can be of increased thickness, with the result that the portion of the stacked profile members facing the partition has more than one portion of increased thickness. When the individual profile members have the same peripheral dimensions, this has the important advantage that only one profile member is required. This reduces production costs and maintenance.

In another preferred embodiment, the profile members are inserted into each other in their longitudinal direction and can have matching peripheral dimensions.

The profile members are preferably made of metal (e.g. steel of a lightweight metal), a plastics material or the like.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bent portion of the flange of one and the same profile member is arcuate, triangular or polygonal when the profile member is used as a single profile member. A triangular guiding of this type at the point of bending acts as a latticework fastening means, whereby the acting forces are borne by a sub-framework and diverted to the main load. The turned under flange limb advantageously extends so far that it terminates just before the web of the profile member. The buckling behaviour is thereby improved and the stressed width of the flange is increased. The turned-under flange limb can also have at least one chamfer which helps to increase the load-bearing capacity perpendicu lar to the face of the partition.The flanged portions of the crossbeam can also have portions of more than twofold thickness. The profile members can also be Z-shaped profile members having perpendicular or tilted webs and flange portions having a two fold (or multiple-fold) thickness. Cold-formed steel profile members are preferred.

The interstacked profile members are of a suitable U-shpe and are inserted inside each other with their open sides. One flange of the profile member can have at least one inwardly directed indentation. The other flange of the same profile member can also be turned under at least once. This results in a good loadbearing capacity for loads acting on the partition wall.

In another preferred embodiment, the flange has at its edge an inwardly angled limb, and such a flange limb can be turned under one or several times. In this way, the resistance of the flange to buckling, and its stressed width, are advantageously increased.

A further improvement in the buckling behaviour of the partition wall can be achieved by having indentations in the web, which indentations can be strip-like impressions, which produces an orthogonal panel effect. Also as a result of this, the flexible impact absorbing behaviour is increased.

According to another preferred feature of the invention, the profile members have inwardly extending shoulders between the web and flange, which shoulders serve to receive portions of the panel. These shoulders are preferably cut back, i.e. somewhat recessed, so that the panel can abut the flange in a flush manner without machining of the frontal face being required.

The panels can be fixed to the crossbeams in the region of the flanges of the profile members or in the region of the shoulders receiving the panels. As a result of this, the panels act simultaneously as an intergral part of ths wall structure. A further advantage resu ding weight is also achieved from the co act;n of both structural members. This has a particularly favourable effect in the case of, as seen in the direction of the baring section, there is a one-sided application of load, as occurs in most applications of the partition walls. In this case, the rigidity of the panel, if it is thin-walled, can be increased by indentations or similar.

In order to reduce weight, particularly in the case of the uprights of the partition wall, the uprights can be openings in a suitable distribution depending upon the shearing stress line. The apertures can be closer together in the centre of the upright and be more widely spaced towards the ends. These apertures can be of a round or polygonal design, or even square with rounded corners. The edges of the apertures can be provided with an inwardly directed bent portion.

High-quality steel with a yield strength greater than 500 N/mm2 and with a high ductility is preferably used for making the profile members. A further reduction in weight can be achieved by the use of such steel, the perpetual single impacts upon the partition wall can be flexibly absorbed.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figures 1 and la are cross-sections through a railway wagon having a slidable and lockable partition wall according to the invention, in schematic representation; Figure ib is a partial section along line I-I of Fig. 1; Figures ic and id show modified sections, relative to Fig. 1 b; Figures 2 to 6 are cross-sections through transverse or diagonal crossbeams of a partition wall; Figures 2a to 6a are cross-sections through crossbeams consisting of two juxtaposed steel profile members; Figures 7 to 12 show steel profile members for use as crossbeams of a partition wall, the profile members having inserts of glass-fibrereinforced plastics material; ; Figures 13 and 14 schematically show the fixing of panels to some of the profile members of Figs. 1 to 6; Figures 15, 15a 16 and 16a show partition walls having Z-shaped profile members; Figures 1 7 to 20 schematically show the fixing of crossbeams of a partition wall to the panels of the wall, Fig. 1 8 being a view in the direction of arrow XVIII in Fig. 17; Figures 21 to 25 show other profile members, consisting of individual profile members fitted inside each other; and Figures 26 to 35 show other profile members for use as crossbeams and uprights of partition walls.

In a covered railway wagon 1 having a roof 2, a loading surface 3 and with sliding doors 4, there is a partition wall 5 displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the wagon. The partition wall 5 is hung on a shaft 6 which can move along bars 8 at right angles to the partition wall be means of wheels 7. The wall 5 has an operating mechanism 9 by means of which adjustable pins 10 and 11 can engage apertures of notched bars 1 2 and 1 3 to lock the partition wall 5 against displacement parallel to the plane of the wall. The partition wall serves to prevent cargo situated between the partition wall and another partition wall, or between the partition wall and an end wall of the wagon from sliding in a longitudinal direction of the wagon.Thus, the partition wall should be able to withstand a loading produced by 5t load acceleration corresponding to 20t load pressure for an 11 km/h starting speed of the wagon, without any permanent distortion or buckling.

The partition wall 5 comprises a supporting framework of uprights 1 5 and transverse or diagonal crossbeams 1 6 and 16a, which consist of cold-formed profile members 1 7 having inwardly turned-under flanges 1 8 joined by a web 1 9. Surface 20 of the flange 18 faces the surface of the partition wall subjected to load 21. The ratio of the thickness of web 1 9 so that of the flange 18 is 1:2 as a result of the bending of the latter and, by multiple bending under of the flange limb 18a, can be 1:3 or 1:4. The ratio of the flange width to the height of the web advantageously is approximately 1:2.The bend 22 of the flange 1 8 should be, in section, arcuate, essentially triangular or polygonal, so that a lattice effect is attained. At the same time, the arcuate guiding of the steel strip achieves careful shaping treatment and a greater degree of flexibility due to pliability of form. An essential point is the strong increase in the crosssectional characteristics with regard to the force acting in the load direction 21. Fig. 4 shows a profile member in which the flange limb 18a is bent back towards, and is parallel to the flange 18, whereby the limb 1 sic can be rigidly connected to the flange 18, e.g. by riveting, spot welding or similar.

The web 1 9 advantageously has strip-like indentations 24 or 23, by means of which buckling resistance of the partition wall is considerably improved. The flange 18 can be reinforced at the flange limb 1 8a with one or several chamfers 18b. Such reinforcement prevents movement of the flange 1 8 to the central axis of the profile member, when, for example, the profile member is subjected to a bending load and thus increases the loadbearing capacity considerably.The turned-under limb 18a suitably terminates just before the web 1 9. In this case, one chamfer 18b of the flange limb 18a can be guided into the corner between the flange 1 8 and the web 19, whereby the bead 23 can act as an abutment surface for the chamfer 18b. The webs can be perforated to reduce weight.

As Figs. 2a to 6a show, the open ends of the steel profile members 1 7 can be connected to each other, e.g. by strip welding 26. This gives the advantage, over and above those already mentioned, of a high resistance to torsion, as is the case with all hollow profile members, and, with the considerable effect of the multiple thickness flanges, the result is an adequate increase in bending resistance in the desired uniaxial direction for the partition wall.

Figs. 7 to 1 2 show steel profile members 28 having an increased rigidity and loadbearing capacity due to the presence of inserts 29 and 30 of high-tensile glass-fibrereinforced plastics material. The inserts 29 and 30, which are preferably made of epoxy resin, can be in the form of strips, bands, cords or the like. These plastics inserts 29 to 30 can be joined to the steel by bonding, clamping, screwing, riveting or a similar method. In the case of the embodiment of Fig. 11, the flange 28a is provided with beads 28b in which cords 30 of glass-fibrereinforced plastics are disposed.Advantageously, the high-tensile glass-fibre-reinforced plastics material has a tensile strength of 1 500 N/mm2 (i.e. far exceeding that of hightensile steel), a creep strength depending on time of 70% (i.e. a very high-tensile value), and a modulus of elasticity of 50000 N/mm2 (i.e. approximately 4.2 times that of steel).

When such profile members undergo a bending strength test, the break always lies inside the tensile zone, and therefore the bending strength can be equated at least to the tensile strength. Thus, in the case of such profile members, in which the steel has an external protective function, a great improvement in load-bearing capacity of the profile member is achieved, without significantly increasing the weight of the profile member because of the low density of the plastics material relative to steel. The profile members, which are used as the crossbeams or uprights, have an an extremely light weight and the maximum possible tensile strength and bending strength. The inserts of the plastics material can also be used as clamping members in the construction of the partition wall. As a result of the considerably high rigidity of the plastics material relative to steel, a high initial stress can also also be achieved.

Figs. 1 3 and 14 show how the panels 32 form an integral part of the partition wall.

Anchorage of the panel 32 to the crossbeam is effected at least in the region of the turned under flange limb 18a of the flange 1 8. Thus, anchorage points 33 and 34 lie within the width of the flange of the profile member, whereby the turned-under flange limb can be gripped at the same time. This brings about a further weight advantage by the cooperation of both structural members due to the precise connection between the profile member and the panel. The connection can be effected by strip welding, spot welding, screwing, riveting or similar. The strength of the wall is consider ably increased over the extent of the width 35 of the panel. A clamping effect is produced, thid having a favourable effect insofar as the extent of movement is greatly reduced, and insofar as the panel mounted on four sides with a favourable distribution of moment.

Moreover, the load-bearing behaviour of the partition wall is brought about by coordination of the load distortions to be determined as a rotary support. This takes effect particularly in the event of, seen in the direction of the load, a one-sided application of load, as occurs in most cases in the type of applications to which the partition walls are subjected. By virtue of the rotary support effect, twisting of the individual profile members, whose axis of rotation, in the case of open-ended profile members, lies outside the profile member in the shearing middle point, is reduced because of the rigidity of the panels.

For this purpose, the panel 37 can advantageously be further reinforced with indentations 38. A very high overall resistance to torsion is achieved in this way (Figs 1 7 and 18).

Figs. 1 5 and 15a and Figs. 1 6 and 1 6a show profile members having a Z-shaped cross-section.

In the embodiments of Figs. 1 9 and 20, there is achieved an effect similar in principle to that already described with regard to the use of the panel as an integral part. The coldformed steel profile members 40 includes shoulders whereby the load-bearing parts of the profile members extend to the panels, thereby increasing the load-bearing capacity of the partition wall. The offset flange limbs 41a are rigidly connected to the panel 32 by at least one anchoring device, e.g. a screw or similar. Even one single point of anchorage between the offset flanges 41 a and the panel 32 produces a clamping or rotary support effect, since a counter force builds up in each case and clamping is brought about. Through this effect the cross-sectional shape of the flange ends is maintained, the carrying section is stabilised and thus used completely for carrying load.Even in this arrangement, the load-bearing capacity is increased by using a stressed width of the panel.

In the embodiments of Figs. 21 to 25, the crossbeams or uprights consist of two profile members which are symmetrically juxtaposed in a stacked manner. Thus, the crossbeam or upright 44 consists of two profile members 50, which are inserted into each other laterally in symmetrical arrangement. Each profile member can be provided with at least one inwardly directed indentation 51 and can have an inwardly angled limb 52 at its edge.

The two flanges provided with the identations face the surface of the partition wall subjected to load.

The interstacked profile members 50 can be rigidly connected by spot welds 53 to the free ends of the respectively outwardly lying flanges of the profile members. The panel 54 can consist of sheet metal and can be fixed at points 55, e.g. by welding, by riveting, by bonding or by a similar method.

The crossbeams 45 of Fig. 22 comprises profile members 56 in which at least one external flange 57 is of doubled thickness due to the fact that it is turned under. The ratio of the thickness of the web to the flanges is thus 1:3 or if the respective inwardly lying flange is bent over, to 1:4. This results in an increase in the cross-sectional characteristic with regard to the force acting in the load direction. The panel 58 is made of wood, chip (chipboard) or a plastics material.

The crossbeam or upright 46 in Fig. 23 is likewise made up to two identical interstacked profile members 59. The web of each profile member can be reinforced by indentations 60. Welds 53, e.g. strip-like welds, add to the already described advantages the further advantage of a high degree of resistance to torsion of the crossbeam or upright as a whole, thereby achieving an adequate increase in bending strength in the desired uniaxial direction in the case of the partition wall.

Fig. 24 shows an upright 47 consisting of lateral inter-stacked profile members 61 and 62. The profile member 62 has a bulge in its web. This bulge or shoulder 63 is somewhat indented in the portion 64. This has the advantage of enabling the panels 65 to be more safely mounted by the return. No chamfering of the panels 65 is required at their inner edges. The crossbeam 48 of Fig. 25 consists of two identical profile members 66 each having a bulge 67 in the web therof, whereby the panels 65 are flush with the respective outer surfaces of the flanges, which are of double thickness. The bulges 67 can alternatively be shaped as shown in Fig. 24.

Figs. 26 to 34 show other profile members for use as crossbeams or uprights. The profile members are inserted into each other in their longitudinal direction and have matching peripheral dimensions. In the case of crossbeam or upright 70 in Fig. 26, the outer profile member 71 is provided with a bulge 72 which is inserted between the panels 73.

Inside the profile member 71, which can be open or closed on the side away from the bulge 72, there is an inner profile member 74 having flanges which, with the profile member 71, form portions of double thickness. The inner profile member 74 is reinforced by hook-shaped ends 75. The crossbeam or upright 76 of Fig. 27 includes an outer profile member 71a, which is indented at the sides of the bulge 72a. The inner profile member 74a abuts directly onto the shoulder. In the case of the upright or crossbeam 78 of Fig.

28, the bulge 72b of the outer profile member 71 b is provided with two return limbs which are connected to each other and to the inner profile member 74 by means of a welded joint 79. The inner profile member 74b can also be provided with inwardly pointing indentations 80. The crossbeam or upright 82 of Fig. 29 includes angle members 81, welded to the profile member 81, for receiving the panels 73. The crossbeam or upright can also be provided with steel panels 83.

The crossbeam or upright 84 in Fig. 30 is made up of three different profile members 85, 86 and 87 connected by welding, whereby a doubling or tripling of the flanges facing the partition is achieved. The crossbeams or upright 90 in Fig. 31 consists of two C-shaped profile members 91 each provided with a wide indentation 91 a into each of which a flat reinforcement bar or a plastics material strip 92 is mounted and welded or bonded.

The crossbeam or upright 93 of Fig. 32 consists of two C-shaped profile members 94 and two hat shaped profile members 95, which are connected by welding, dotting, bonding or similar. The ends of the C-shaped profile members 94 lies on the centre line of the crossbeam or upright 93. The ends of the profile members are each chamfered. The upright 96 of Fig. 33 is similar to the upright or crossbeam 93 of Fig. 32.

Fig. 34 shows a crossbeam 97 consisting of two profile members 98 forming an integral profile member. The integral profile member is of double thickness in the plane of the partition wall, and has inner reinforcement ribs. The integral profile member has bulges inserted between the panels 73.

A section through a partition wall is shown in Fig. 35, in which panels 99 are fixed by means of joints 100 between two uprights 70. The panels 99 can be connected to each other by profile members 101 inserted between them.

To reduce weight, the webs of the crossbeams and/or uprights can be perforated. The crossbeams and/or uprights only need have the portions of increased thickness at those points, e.g. at junctions, where this is neccessary and suitable according to the relevant stress. This enables a further reduction in weight to be achieved. In certain cases, the flanges can have exactly abutting portions of increased thickness.

Closed profile members are used above all in the lower part of the partition wall both in the case of the crossbeams and the uprights whilst the profile members above the centre of the height of the wall or similar are preferably open profile members.

Claims (26)

1. A partition wall for a railway wagon, which wall comprises a supporting framework comprising uprights and crossbeams, and at least one panel fixed on each side of the supporting framework, wherein the crossbeams and optionally the uprights each comprise a profile member having at least one portion of at least two-fold thickness relative to the thickness of the remainder of the profile member.

2. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profile member comprises two open-sided profile members, the profile members being disposed with their open sides abutting.

3. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profile member comprises two profile members one of which has been inserted laterally into the other.

4. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profile member comprises two profile members one of which has been inserted longitudinally into the other.

5. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said profile member comprises flanges joined by a web, wherein each flange includes a bent-under flange limb terminating adjacent to the web, and wherein the bent portion of each flange is arcuate, triangular or polygonal.

6. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said profile member is a Zshaped profile member comprising flanges joined by a perpendicular or tilted web, and wherein each flange includes a bent-under flange limb.

7. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said profile member comprises flanges joined by a web, and wherein each flange includes a bent-under flange limb terminating in the corner between the web and the respective flange.

8. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said flange limb has at least one chamfer.

9. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 5 to 8, wherein said flanges are bent more than once.

1 0. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, wherein an insert of glass-fibrereinforced plastics material is held under said turned-under flange limb and is fixed to the profile member.

11. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 5 to 10, wherein the panel is fixed to the profile member at least in the region of said bent-under flange limb.

12. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said profile member comprises two open-sided profile members whose open sides are juxtaposed and which are rigidly connected.

13. A partition wall as claimed in claim 3, wehrein said two profile members are Ushaped and are of the same size, and wherein the open sides thereof have been inserted one into the other.

1 4. A partition wall as claimed in claim 3, wherein said two profile members are Ushaped and of different sizes, and wherein the open sides thereof have been inserted one into the other.

15. A partition wall as claimed in claim 13 and 14, wherein one limb of each Ushaped profile member has at least one inwardly directed indentation, and wherein the other limb of each U-shaped profile member is bent over at least once.

16. A partition wall as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein one limb of each U-shaped profile member has at least one inwardly directed edge, and wherein the other limb of each U-shaped profile member is bent over at least once.

1 7. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein said profile member includes inwardly-extending, recessed shoulder or bulge for receiving the panels.

18. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17, wherein said profile member includes a web provided with one or more indentations and/or one or more laminar impressions.

1 9. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18, wherein said profile member includes flanges provided with one or more indentations.

20. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, wherein said panels are provided with one or more identations.

21. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20, wherein said profile member includes a perforated web.

22. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein said profile member is a cold-formed profile member made of high quality steel having a yield strength of at least 500 N/mm2 and a high ductility.

23. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22, wherein said profile member comprises flanges joined by a web, the ratio of the width of the web to that of the flange being at least 1:2.

24. A partition wall as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23, being a slidable and lockable dividing wall.

25. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profile member has a crosssectional shaped substantially as shown in any of Figs. 2, 2a, 3, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, 6a, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 15a, 16, 16a, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.

26. A partition wall as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 1 or Fig.

1 a together with one or more of the other Figures.