GB2176758A - A rail joint for suspended monorail track - Google Patents

Abstract

Rail lengths 2, 3 have, above the top flanges 4, roof suspension members 5, 6, to which is secured a U-shaped suspension yoke 13. The pivot joint 11 below the bottom flanges 8 can be of any kind. The yoke 13 extends over a gap between the two rail lengths 2, 3, is welded to the roof suspension member 6 and is mounted on the roof suspension member 5 by slots 15 engaging a pin 16 so as to allow limited pivotal movement of the rail lengths 2, 3 about pivot joint 11. The yoke 13 has a vertical journal 18, connected to a carrying member 23 pivotable around the journal 18. The places 24 for securing the suspension means are disposed at the ends of the carrying member 23. The vertical journal 18 is secured to the carrying member 23 by way of a ball joint. A buffer element 26 can be provided. The vertical journal 18 can be pivotally connected to the yoke and/or the rail length 2. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A rail joint for suspended monorail track The invention relates to a rail joint for substantially I-section rail lengths of a suspended monorail track, of use more particularly in underground mining or tunnelling.

A rail joint of this kind is prior art, for example, by virtue of DEPS 2 145 300. It has fittings which are welded to the rail length ends to the top and bottom thereof and which provide a pivoted connection between the rail lengths and also enable the track to be suspended on the rock or on the support system.

A rail joint of this kind has basically proved satisfactory in practice; however, it has the advantage that the special construction of the relatively complicated fittings and their securing to the rail length top and bottom flanges call for relatively heavy expenditure. The first difficulty is that these parts are basically separate parts which must be manufactured independently and prepared for welding. Conveniently, the fittings must be welded with the use of appropriate welding guages to ensure that the fittings can be welded at a place ensuring that the coupling is satisfactory.

Another difficulty is that the work needs to be carried out carefully by skilled labour.

It is the object of the invention to improve the known rail joint so as to appreciably reduce the manufacturing cost and the cost of contriving the coupling elements.

According to the present invention there is provided a joint for connecting substantially Isection rail lengths of a suspended monorail track, each length having a continuous roof suspension member above the top f langes, of use more particularly in underground mining or tunnelling, the joint comprising a pivot which connects the bottom edges of two rail lengths and has a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rail and a coupling, positioned above the top flanges of the rail lengths, interconnecting the two rail lengths wherein the coupling comprises a suspension yoke which extends over a gap between the two rail lengths, the yoke comprising at least two arms and a web, and being adapted to receive suspension means, the yoke being welded to the roof suspension member of one rail length and mounted on the roof suspension member of the other rail length so as to allow limited pivotal movement of the rail lengths about the pivot axis.

The first important point about the underlying idea of the invention is that irrespective of the construction of the pivot at the rail gap, only minor welding is required at the bottom end of the gap to secure the coupling elements which interconnect the rail lengths. The suspension yoke bridging the between-lengths gap is welded only to the roof suspension member of one rail length, being so connected to the roof suspension member of the other rail length as to have limited provision for tilting. Two zones offset from one another lengthwise are present for securing suspension means; the securing zones disposed at the ends of the yoke in a substantially uniform offset from the place of securing to the suspension member ensure that the conveying stresses applied to the track are distributed uniformly among a number of suspension positions.Also, at least one further, for example, central, securing zone can be provided along the length of the yoke in addition to the securing zones at the ends thereof.

Another advantage is that just a single par t-i.e., the suspension yoke - is secured to one rail length. Consequently, unlike the known fittings, there is no need to take special care to ensure that the correct fittings are welded to the rail length ends. There is therefore no risk of confusion.

The nature of the fitting in accordance with the invention ensures to some extent a hanging connection of the rail lengths to be joined together, so that the pivot at the joint is little stressed by the weight of rail lengths and of the loads being conveyed and can therefore be of relatively simple construction.

The features of Claim 2 set out a very advantageous embodiment of the invention; the yoke arms, acting in co-operation with the roof suspension members of the rail lengths, provide accurate longitudinal alignment of the rail lengths near the between-lengths gap. The horizontal web interconnecting the arms can extend over the whole length of the yoke or just over some of the length thereof and it can also be straight or arcuate.

The features of Claim 3 disclose a preferred solution for the problem of so securing the yoke to a rail length as to have limited provision for pivoting. The construction according to Claim 3 is cheap to produce and assemble and, in association with the wedge-shaped between-lengths gap, enables the rail lengths to pivot vertically relatively to one another through an angle of several degrees in either direction. The axis of the securing pin can extend in the plane passing through the axis of the vertical pin. However, other constructions are conceivable wherein the securing pin is disposed at a distance to right or to left of the axis of the vertical journal.

The advantage of the joint according to the invention set out in the embodiment described in Claim 4 is that the carrying member can be adjusted substantially independently to the local position of the between-lengths gap relatively to the nearby securing places on the rock or on the support system. The vertical journal can be unitary with the suspension yoke. Conveniently, the vertical journal extends exactly above the securing of the suspension yoke to the suspension member of the rail length. The distance between any securing place and the vertical tranasverse plane passing through the axis of the vertical journal may or may not be identical in all such places.

The features of Claim S help to further im prove the physical fitting of the rail lengths to the carrying member, the same being suspended, for instance, on chain lengths embodied by round link chains. Conveniently, the sleeve is flattened at the top and is releasably secured by a cross-pin to the vertical journal.

The features of Claim 6 are operative to reduce the impact stressing of the rail lengths near the joints therebetween when the conveying units pass over them, such stressing of course increasing in association with ever-increasing conveying speeds. The features of Claim 6 also help to reduce stressing of the support system and of the rock, the sleeve being so disposed on the vertical journal as to be freely displaceable.

Another possibility is for intermediate members which have impactdamping properties to be taken up into the suspension means in addition to or instead of the buffer element hereinbefore set out. This feature further reduces impact loadings which occur near the between-lengths joints and which are detrimental to the rock and the support system.

The features of Claim 7 enable greater angles between the rail lengths and the carrying member to be dealt with satisfactorily.

The invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned view in side elevation, and in two varients, of a joint between two rail lengths of a suspended monorail track; FIGURE 2 is a view of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 11 thereof; FIGURE 3 is a partly sectioned view in side elevation of another embodiment of a rail joint; and FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1-4 there can be seen a rail for a suspended monorail track of use in underground mining. The rail 1 comprises a number of rail lengths 2, 3 interconnected with provision for limiting pivoting.

Each rail length 2, 3 is in cross-section substantially I-shaped, with a roof suspension member 5, 6 which is disposed above top flanges 4 and which is continuous over the whole length of a rail length 2, 3. The member 5, 6 is approximately three times as thick as rail length web 7 disposed between the top flanges 4 and the bottom flanges 8. The height of the member 5, 6 corresponds to approximately half the distance between the tops of the top flanges 4 and the bottoms of the bottom flanges 8.

As Figure 1 shows, end face 9 of rail length 2 forms a right angle with its longitudinal extent, but end face 10 of the adjacent rail length 3 is inclined at an angle a of approximately 7". The end faces 9, 10 abut at the bottom edge of the rail 1 where there is present a coupling pivot 11 which has a transverse horizontal pivot axis and whose construction is not shown in further detail.

Between the rails lengths 2, 3 there can be seen a joint, or wedge-shaped gap 12.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, rail length end faces 9', 10' bounding the gap 12' are at an inclination to the length of the rail lengths 2, 3 and each extend in the same direction from the joint 11. As in the previous embodiment, the opening angle a of the wedge-shaped gap 12' is approximately 70 In the embadiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the coupling has at the height of the members 5, 6 a suspension yoke 13 which extends over the wedge-shaped gap 12. The yoke 13 is U-shaped, the yoke arms 14 engaging laterally over the roof suspension members 5, 6.

The yoke 13 is secured to the member 6 of rail length 3 by welding. To this end, the arms 14 in shape resemble tongues or fingers or the like. This enables sufficiently long weld seams to be achieved with a relatively reduced use of material. Near the other rail length 2, the yoke arms 14 are bored with registering slots 15 extending in an arc around the pivot axis of the joint 15. A securing pin 16 secured in the roof suspension member 5 of the rail lengths 2 so extends through the slots 15 as to have provision for movement relatively thereto, as can be seen in Figure 1.

Secured to the top of the web 17 of the yoke 13 is a vertical journal 18. The vertical journal 18 has, in the first varient, shown to the left of the pivot axis 19, a radially widened end collar 20 and extends through web 21 of a substantially U-shaped support member 23 with an upwardly open longitudinal channel 22. The web 21 of member 23 extends between the end securing zones formed by transverse bores 24.

A buffer element 26 extending around the vertical journal 18 and made of a resilient material, such as rubber, is present between the radial collar 20 and the bottom part-spherical sleeve 25. The collar 20 can be releasably connected to the journal 18. The sleeve 25 is movably mounted on the journal 18.

In the varient of Figure 1, shown to the right of pivot axis 19, all that is provided is a sleeve 25' which is releasably connected by way of a crosspin 27 to the vertical journal 18 and which, like the sleeve 25, is fitted in a bearing socket 28, 28' contrived at the top of the horizontal web 21 and adapted to the part-spherical underside of the sleeve 25, 25'.

The only dfference between the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 and the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is that in Figures 3 and 4 the vertical journal 18' is pivotable relatively to the suspension yoke 13' To this end, the journal 18' engages over the yoke 13' by way of a fork 29. The pivoted connection to the yoke 1 3'-i.e., the rail length 2-is by way of a pin 16' which also provides the articulated connection between the yoke 13' and the rail length 2.

Claims (14)

1. A joint for connecting substantially I-section rail lengths of a suspended monorail track, each length having a continuous roof suspension member above the top flanges, the joint comprising a pivot which connects the bottom edges of two rail lengths and has a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rail and a coupling, positioned above the top flanges of the rail lengths, interconnecting the two rail lengths wherein the coupling comprises a suspension yoke which extends over a gap between the two rail lengths, the yoke being adapted to receive suspension means, the yoke being welded to the roof suspension member of one rail length and mounted on the roof suspension member of the other rail length so as to allow limited pivotal movement of the rail lengths about the pivot axis.

2. A joint according to Claim 1, wherein the suspension yoke is U-shaped and engages over the roof suspension members on both sides of the gap.

3. A joint according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the arms of the yoke are formed with corresponding slots which extend along an arc around the pivot axis, and a pin, secured in the roof suspension member of the other rail length extends through the slots as to be movable relatively thereto.

4. A joint according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a vertical journal is provided on the top of the yoke web and extends substantially centrally through a carrying member, so as to be freely pivotable, the carrying member being adapted, at its ends, to receive the suspension means.

5. A joint according to Claim 4, wherein the vertical journal extends through a part-spherical sleeve, contained in a bearing socket in the top of the carrying member, the bearing socket being adapted to receive the sleeve.

6. A joint according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the carrying member is substantially U-shaped and comprises a channel, parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rail at the top, a buffer element which extends around the vertical journal being positioned between the sleeve of the vertical journal and a collar at the end of the journal.

7. A joint according to any of Claims 3 to 6, wherein the vertical journal extends on both sides of the suspension yoke and, by way of the pin, is pivotally connected to the suspen sion yoke and to the roof suspension member of the other rail length.

8. A joint according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an end face of the other rail length, movably secured to the suspension yoke, is normal to the longitudinal axis of the other rail length, and an end face of the one rail length, opposing the end face of the other rail length, extends from the pivot at an angle to the end face- of the other rail length.

9. A joint according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the two opposing end faces of the rail lengths are at an angle to the longitduinal axes of the rail lengths and to each other and extend from the pivot in substantially the same direction.

10. A joint according to any one of the preceding claims, where the gap is wedgeshaped so as to provde for limited tilting of the rail lengths.

11. A joint according to Claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein the angle between the opposing end faces of the rail lengths is 7".

12. A joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2.

13. A joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 3 and 4.

14. Any novel feature or combination of features as hereinbefore described.