GB2172563A

GB2172563A - Rail vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2172563A
Application number: GB08607274A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Hudson
Original assignee: Permanent Way Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: Permanent Way Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 1985-03-23
Filing date: 1986-03-24
Publication date: 1986-09-24
Also published as: GB8607274D0; GB2172563B

Abstract

A vehicle (1) comprises a carriage (4) adapted to run on rails (2). The vehicle (1) is provided with a cover (6) which is movable between an operative position, as shown, and an inoperative position over the carriage (4). In the operative position the cover (6) covers an area of rail track adjacent the carriage (4); this enables rail track activities, such as welding, to continue in adverse weather conditions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail vehicle This invention relates to a vehicle, more particularly to a vehicle adapted to run on rails.

Certain rail track activities are difficult to perform in adverse weather conditions.

An example or such an an activity is the therm it welding process, which is used world-wide in order to achieve a continuously welded rail. A hydraulic tensioning device for continuous welded rail is described in our prior U.K. Patent No.

1,294,216.

Therm it welding is very difficult to perform in adverse weather conditions, particularly in heavy rain and strong wind. There are two main reasons for the difficulty. Firstly, if water penetrates the weld then cracks and porosity is caused, and if this is not detected at the time of welding then the weld will probably break during the susbequent passage of trains. Secondly, explosions are likely to be caused if water is mixed with the molten weld at the time of pouring.

In thermit welding the usual practice is to discontinue welding in adverse weather conditions.

Clearly this can result in a great deal of time being wasted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rail vehicle which permits the continued operation of rail track activities such as welding, particularly thermit welding, even in adverse weather conditions.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a carriage adapted to run on rails, and a cover movable relative to the carriage from an inoperative positions, to an operative position in which the cover covers an area of rail trace adjacent the carriage.

Preferably support means is provided for supporting the cover in the operative position.

Advantageously in the inoperative position the cover is supported by the carriage, and in the operative position the cover is supported by the support means.

Desirably the support means is movable between a closed position in which it does not support the cover, and an open position in which it supports the cover. The support means may comprise two support members. When the cover is in the operative position, the support members may extend substantially parallel to, and spaced from, one another.

In a preferred construction the support means is pivotally mounted to the carriage. For example, where two support members are provided, they may each be pivotally mounted to the carriage in such a manner that they overlap when they are in the closed position; this enables the length of the support members, and hence the area of rail track which can be covered, to be increased.

Guide means may be provided on the carriage and on the support means for guiding the movement of the cover relative to the carriage. The guide means may comprise an elongate formation which engages with a co-operating formation on the cover, so that the cover can slide along the guide means.

Preferably movement of the cover from the carriage to the support means is not possible when the support means is not in the open position.

In one construction the guide means on the carriage and on the support means can be arranged so that when the cover is in the inoperative position, and the support means is not in the open position, the guide means on the carriage is out of alignment with the guide means on the support means, so that movement of the cover from the carriage to the support means is not possible. The arrangement mey also be such that when the support means is in the open position the guide means on the carriage is aligned with the guide means on the support means, so that the cover can slide from the guide means on the carriage to the guide means on the support means.

Preferably the support means is adapted to extend from the cover down to substantially the level of the rail track; thus, the support means acts as a wall and this provides a side shield from the effects of the weather.

The outer surface of the support members are preferably of convex configuration to increase the distance therebetween.

The support means can be mounted to the rear of the carriage, and can serve the function of providing a door to the rear of the carriage.

The rail vehicle preferably includes a cabin from which the crew can operate the vehicle, and at least one storage compartment. The cabin may be separated -From the storage compartment by fire and explosion resistant walls. The storage compartment may include apparatus for thermit welding, and ventilation means can be provided to ventilate the compartment. As engine compartment containing an engine for driving the vehicle may be provided which is separated from the rest of the vehicle by fire and explosion resistant walls.

In this way a vehicle is provided which can be used as a general purpose vehicle carrying a number of tools and being safe to use.

The vehicle may be a rail vehicle, a roadirail vehicle, or a road transportable on rail vehicle.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view with part cut away of a rail vehicle according to the invention, with a cover for the vehicle in an inoperative position; Figure 2 is a plan view of the rail vehicle shown in Figure 1 with the cover in an operative position; Figure 3 is a view on lines 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the vehicle shown in Figure 2, with part cut away.

In the drawings a vehicle generally designated 1 is adapted to run on two parallel rails 2 of a rail track. The rail track also includes a plurality of sleepers 3 extending substantially transverse to the rails 2.

The vehicle 1 comprises a carriage 4 which is provided with wheels 5 which enable the vehicle 1 to run on the rails 2.

A cover 6 is mounted on the roof of the carriage 4 and is slidable between an inoperative position shown in Figure 1 and an operative position shown in Figure 2.

The cover 6 is mounted on the roof of the carriage 4 by guide means in the form of two Tshaped rails 7, which extend along opposite sides of the roof of the carriage 4 substantially parallel to one another. The underside of the cover 6 is provided with two elongate T-section channel members 9 each of which contains a plurality of rollers (not shown). Each channel member 9 receives one of the T-shaped rails 7. The channel members 9 can slide along the T-shaped rails 7, thereby permitting the cover 6 to slide relative to the carriage 4.

At the rear end of the carriage 4 support means in the form of two doors 10 is provided. Each door 10 is pivotally mounted to the carriage 4 by means of hinges 11.

The doors 10 are movable between a closed position in which they close the rear of the carriage 4, and an open position in which the rear of the carriage 4 is open. In the closed position the doors 10 overlap and extend substantially transverse to the rails 2. In the open position the doors 10 extend substantially parallel to each other and to the rails 2.

The top of each door 10 is provided with Tshaped rails 7a arranged so that when the doors 10 are in the open position the T-shaped rails 7a are aligned with and parallel to the T-shaped rails 7 on the roof of the carriage 4. This permits the cover 6 to slide over the top of the doors 10 from the roof of the carriage 4.

Each door has an outer surface 10a which faces away from the rail track when the doors 10 are in the open position. The outer surface 10a is of convex configuration so that when the doors 10 are in open position, the distance between the doors is greater than the width of the carriage 4.

The vehicle 1 includes a cabin 12, an engine compartment 13, an area 14 for hydraulic reservoirs, and two storage compartments 15 and 16.

Fire and explosion resistant walls 17 are provided for separating the cabin 12, the engine compartment 13, the area 14, and the storage compartment 15 from each other.

A region 15a is provided in the storage compartment 15 for storing weld portions and is separated from the storage compartment 15 by a fire and explosion resistant wall 18. The rest of the storage compartment ?5 can be used for general tool storage and is well ventilated.

Among the tools which may be stored in the storage compartment 15 are hydraulic rail stressors, weld trimmers, a rail saw, a rail grinder and a descaling needlegun. All these tools are usually required for thermit welding.

Typically the hydraulic rail stressors and the weld trimmers would be operated by hand pump at high pressures, and the rail saw and rail grinders would be operated by a petrol engine; the descaling needlegun typically uses high pressure nitrogen supplied from a gas cylinder. However, the engine of the vehicle 1 powers various pumps which are used to provide a high pressure hydraulics to operate the hydraulic rail stressors and the weld trimmers, and low pressure hydraulics to operate the rail saw and the rail grinder. In addition, high pressure air is provided to operate the descaling needlegun. This eliminates the need for petrol engines and for a nitrogen cylinder. The elimination of the petrol engines is a substantial advantage in view of the highly inflammable nature of the welding portions.

The storage compartment 16 contains gas cylinders 19. In one embodiment two oxygen cylinders 19 and one propane cylinder 19 is provided, and in another embodiment two oxygen cylinders 19 and two acetylene cylinder 19 are provided. The storage compartment 16 is also well ventilated.

The storage compartment 16 is separated from the storage compartment 15 by a sealed roller shutter door 17a which prevents the leakage of gases between the compartments 15 and 16. The gas cylinders 19 are carried in a cradle 30 which can be lowered onto the rails 2 and positioned at a safe distance from the vehicle 1 during, for example, a welding process.

The operation of the vehicle 1 is as follows. The vehicle 1 is driven ahead of the area on which work, such as thermit welding, is to be carried out; this area is delineated by dotted lines 19 in Figure 1.

The doors 10 at the rear of the carriage 4 are moved to the open position to align the T-shaped rails 7a with the rails 7 on the roof of the carriage 4. The cover 6 may then be slid along the rails 7 and 7a towards the area 19. The cover can slide from the inoperative position shown in Figure 1 to the operative position shown in Figure 2, in which it covers the area 19.

The cover 6 can slide completely off the roof of the carriage 4 to leave a space 20 between the carriage 4 and the cover 6; this assist with ventilation of the area 19. When the cover 6 is in the operative position shown in Figure 2, the area 19 is completely covered by the cover 6; this prevents rain from falling on the area 19.

In addition, two opposite sides of the area 19 are protected by the doors 10. This helps to protect the area 19 from wind and also prevents workmen working in the area 19 from standing too near a rail track adjacent the rail track shown in the drawings. Hence the doors 10 also serve an important safety function because they substantially eliminate the risk of workmen who are working in the area 19 from being hit by a train passing on an adjacent rail track. It will be appreciated that the outer surface 10a of the doors 10 does not exceed extend so far outwardly from the rails 2 that a train passing on an adjacent track could hit the doors 10.

The cover 6 and the doors 10 are capable of withstanding the wind drag conditions covered by passing trains.

When the cover is in the operative position, the tools and equipment for working on the area 19 may be removed from the forage compartments 15 and 16, and work on the area can begin. As described above, this may be a therm it welding operation.

When the work is complete the tools and equipment can be replaced in the storage compartments 15 and 16. The cover 6 may then be slid towards the carriage 4 from the operative position back to the inoperative position shown in Figure 1. The doors 10 can then be closed and vehicle 1 can be driven to the next work area.

When the doors are in the closed position the Tshaped rails 7a extend transverse to the rails 7 and provide an obstruction, thus preventing the cover 6 from being moved off the roof of the carriage 4 when the doors are in the closed position.

The cover 6 can be made from sufficiently light materials to enable it to be moved from the inoperative position to the operative position and vice versa by hand.

If desired, drive means (not shown) can be provided for moving the cover from the operative position to the inoperative position and vice versa. To this end, the cover 6 can be mounted on the rails 7 by means of wheels which are driven by the drive means.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a carriage adapted to run on rails, and a cover movable relative to the carriage from an inoperative position, to an operative position in which the cover covers an area of rail track adjacent the carriage.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1 comprising support means for supporting the cover in the operative position.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 2, in which the cover is supported by the carriage when in the inoperative position, and the cover is supported by the support means when in the operative position.

4. A vehicle according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the support means is movable between a closed position in which it does not support the cover, and an open position in which it does support the cover.

5. A vehicle according to Claim 4, in which movement of the cover from the carriage to the support means is not possible when the support means is not in the open position.

6. A vehicle according to Claim 2, 3, 4 or 4, in which the support means is pivotally mounted to the carriage.

7. A vehicle according to any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the support means is adapted to extend from the cover to substantially the level of the rail track.

8. A vehicle according to any of Claims 2 to 7, in which the support means acts as a door for the carriage.

9. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, in which guide means is provided on the carriage for guiding movement of the cover between the operative and inoperative positions.

10. A vehicle according to Claim 9, when dependent upon any of Claims 2 to 8, in which the guide means is also provided on the support means.

11. A vehicle according to Claim 9 or 10, in which the guide means comprises an elongate formation which engages a co-operating formation provided on the cover.

12. A vehicle according to Claim 10 when dependent upon Claim 4, or Claim 11 when dependent upon Claims 4 and 10, in which the guide means is arranged such that when the support means is not in the open position the guide means on the carriage is out of alignment with the guide means on the support means, so that movement of the cover from the carriage to the support means is not possible.

13. A vehicle according to any of Claims 2 to 12, in which the support means comprises two support members.

14. A vehicle according to Claim 13, when dependent upon Claim 4, in which the support members are pivotally mounted to the carriage in such a manner that they overlap when the support means is in the closed position.

15. A vehicle according to Claim 13 or 14, in which the outer surface of each support member is of convex configuration.

16. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, in which the carriage includes a cabin from which an operator can operate the vehicle.

17. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, in which the carriage includes at least one storage compartment.

18. A vehicle according to Claims 16 and 17, in which the cabin is separated from the storage compartment by fire and explosion resistant walls.

19. A vehicle according to Claim 17 or 18, in which the or each storage compartment is provided with apparatus for therm it welding.

20. A vehicle according to Claim 17, 18 or 19, in which ventilation means is provided for ventilating the or each storage compartment.

21. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, in which the carriage includes an engine compartment containing an engine, which compartment is separated from the rest of the vehicle by fire and explosion resistant walls.

22. A vehicle according to any preceding claim in which the cover is slidably movable from the inoperative position to the operative position.

23. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.