GB2217280A

GB2217280A - Railway tipping wagon

Info

Publication number: GB2217280A
Application number: GB8809457A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Thornton
Original assignee: BECORIT HUDSON Ltd
Current assignee: BECORIT HUDSON Ltd
Priority date: 1988-04-21
Filing date: 1988-04-21
Publication date: 1989-10-25
Also published as: GB8809457D0

Abstract

A rail vehicle for carrying mineral has a tipping body (13) and a detent (24) for preventing inadvertent tipping. Beside the track, there are provided guides (32, 35 to 39) for co-operation with rollers (33, 34) on the vehicle to cause tipping of the body. The guides can be moved towards and away from the path of travel of the vehicle by a cam and a follower mechanism, the cam of which is mounted on the vehicle and the follower of which is mounted beside the track. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Method of and apparatus for transferring mineral to a receiving station" Description of Invention The present invention relates to the transfer of mineral by means of rail vehicles. Rail vehicles having load-containing bodies which can be tipped to discharge mineral are known. It is known to draw or push each such loaded vehicle to a receiving station for the mineral, to park the vehicle at the station and then to tip the body, either by manual application of force to a tipping mechanism of the vehicle, or by means of a machine which is extraneous to the vehicle.

It is also known to provide at a mineral-receiving station tipping means for co-operating with the vehicle during travel of the vehicle through the receiving station so that tipping occurs whilst the vehicle is moving along its track. Such known tipping means comprises a ramp which is fixed with respect to the track. Vehicles intended for use with the ramp each have control means in the form of a wheel which is situated above the level of the track and is connected with the tipping body. As the vehicle moves into the mineral-receiving station, this tipping wheel runs up the ramp, so applying a tipping force to the body. Because the axis about which the body is tipped is near to one side of the body, the force which must be exerted on a loaded body to tip the body is large.In consequence of this, a large force must be applied to draw or push the vehicle along the track through the receiving station. A further disadvantage of the known arrangements is that the vehicle will be tipped whenever it is moved along the track through the receiving station, irrespective of whether the vehicle is loaded or empty and irrespective of the direction of movement of the vehicle through the receiving station.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transferring mineral to a receiving station wherein the mineral is loaded into a tipping body of a rail vehicle with the body upright, the vehicle is drawn along a railway track through the receiving station, the vehicle is returned through the receiving station and wherein the body is tipped to discharge the mineral as the vehicle moves through the receiving station in one direction only, the body remaining upright as the vehicle moves through the receiving station in the opposite direction.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided, in combination, a rail vehicle suitable for running on a railway track and tipping means for installation at a selected position along the track, wherein the vehicle comprises a wheeled chassis, a body mounted on the chassis for tipping relative thereto about a tipping axis which extends in the direction of travel of the vehicle, control means for co-operation with the tipping means for tipping the body relative to the chassis and holding means for holding the body against tipping.

The tipping axis preferably lies nearer to a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle than to a lateral margin of the vehicle. With this arrangement, the force required to tip the body and discharge mineral therefrom is smaller than would be the case if the tipping axis is near to one side of the vehicle.

The holding means ensures that the body is not tipped inadvertently, for example by the action of gravity on an unevenly distributed ioad in the body.

An example of a method in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and of a combination in accordance with the second aspect will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a rail vehicle, viewed from one end; FIGURE 2 is a diagram similar to Figure 1 but representing the vehicle with a body thereof partly tipped; FIGURE 3 is a diagram representing certain parts of the vehicle on an enlarged scale and from one side; FIGURE 4 is a diagram to the same scale as Figure 3 and representing certain parts viewed in a direction along the vehicle; FIGURE 5 is a diagram representing tipping means, viewed from a track on which the vehicle runs; FIGURE 6 is a diagram representing the tipping means and track, as viewed in a direction along the track and to a larger scale than Figure 5; and FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a plan view of setting means for the tipping means of Figures 5 and 6.

The vehicle represented in Figures I and 2 comprises a chassis 10 having running wheels I I which run on the rails 12 of a track shown in Figure 6. The vehicle further comprises an open-topped body 13 mounted on the chassis 10 for tipping relative thereto about an axis which extends in the direction of travel of the vehicle. During tipping, this axis moves laterally relative to the chassis 10, as will be explained hereinafter.

A side wall 14 of the vehicle is connected with the remainder of the body 13 in a known manner by a linkage which moves that wall to an open position as the body 13 is tipped from the upright attitude and returns the side wall 14 to a closed position as the body is tipped back to the upright attitude.

The body 13 is connected with the chassis 10 by control means for controlling tipping of the body relative to the chassis. The control means includes a shaft 15 which extends along the chassis at a level below the body 13 and adjacent to one lateral margin of the chassis. The shaft is supported by bearings carried on the chassis. The shaft 15 is connected with the body 13 by a pair of links 16, 17. The link ló is rigid with the shaft 15 and extends radially therefrom. The link 17 is considerably longer than the link l, is pivoted at one of its ends to the link 16 and is pivoted at its other end to the body 13. As shown in Figure 1, when the body 13 is in the upright attitude, the shaft 15 lies between the pivots at opposite ends of the link 17.The axes defined by these pivots and the axis of the shaft 15 may lie in a single plane so that the application to the link 17 of an upwardly directed force by the body 13 will not apply torque to the shaft 15. Thus, the linkage will not he moved by the action of gravity on an unevenly distributed load in the body 13.

Alternatively, the pivots may be so positioned that a straight line connecting the pivots at opposite ends of the link 17 moves through the axis of the shaft 15 as the body 13 moves into and out of its upright attitude.

Typically, the links 16 and 17 are nearer to one end of the chassis than the other end and a further pair of links which are arranged in a corresponding manner are provided near to that other end of the chassis.

The body 13 is tipped relative to the chassis 10 by turning of the shaft 15 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure I. When in its upright attitude, the body rests on a horizontal pin 18 supported by the chassis 10 and lying at a position offset slightly from a longitudinal medial plane of the vehicle in a direction towards the shaft 15. As the shaft is turned, the body rocks on the pin 18 towards a somewhat lower pin 19 which is parallel to the pin 18 and to a longitudinal centreline of the vehicle. The pin 19 is offset from the longitudinal medial plane of the vehicle in a direction away from the shaft 15. An arcuate recess is provided at the underside of the body 13 to form a seat for the pin 19. When this seat engages the pin 19, further rocking on the pin 18 is prevented. Continued turning of the shaft 15 causes the body to rock on the pin 19 away from the pin 18.

Rocking of the body 13 on the pin 19 relative to the pin 18 is preferably limited by trapping the pin 18 in a slot 20 formed in the body. It will be understood that the body has a load-supporting floor spoced upwardly from the slot 20 and the seat for the pin 19.

If the body 13 contains an evenly distributed load, the vertical plane containing the centre of gravity of the loaded body will pass near to the pins 18 and 19, when the body is in the upright attitude. Accordingly,- the torque which must be applied to the shaft 15 to cause tipping of the body is only moderate. It will be noted that the centre of gravity of the loaded body moves downwardly somewhat during tipping from the upright attitude, so that the action of gravity on the load and body assists tipping.

Holding means is provided in the vehicle to hold the body 13 against tipping relative to the chassis 10 normally during movement of the vehicle along the track and during loading of the vehicle. There is fixed on the shaft 15 a two-armed lever, the arms 21 and 22 of which extend radially from the shaft in directions which differ by nearly 900. On the arm 21, there is a flange 23 which is approximately at right-angles to the length of the arm.

The holding means comprises a detent 24 which is pivotally mounted on the chassis 10 and which has a shoulder 25 forming a seat for the flange 21. A return spring 26 acting between the chassis and the detent 24 urges the detent into a position in which its shoulder 25 lies beneath the flange 21 and a rod limits pivoting of the detent.

The track runs from one or more sites where mineral is loaded into the body 13 of the vehicle, with the vehicle in the upright attitude, to a receiving station where the mineral is to be discharged from the vehicle. There may be provided at the receiving station, at one side of the track, bins or other receptacles for receiving the mineral. At a side of the track opposite to the bins, there is provided tipping means for tipping the body 13. The tipping means comprises a frame 27 which is mounted on a carriage 28 for reciprocation relative to the carriage towards and away from the track. The carriage is supported on wheels 29 which run on a further track parallel to the rails 12. This further track is relatively short.Means is provided for restraining movement of the carriage along the further rails, for example a vertical pin 30 which can be withdrawn from a socket in a base on which the further rails are mounted.

The tipping means comprises a plurality of elongated, curved guides which are arranged in pairs. The guides of each pair are substantially parallel to each other and separated by a gap which is sufficient to receive, with clearance, a respective roller provided on one of the arms 21 and 22. The tipping means can be set in an active condition, in which it lies nearer to the track on which the vehicle runs or in an inactive position, in which it lies further from the track. When the tipping means is in the active condition, the guide 33 lies in the path of travel of the roller 33 on the arm 22, whilst the body 13 is in its upright attitude. The guide 32 is inclined upwardly from the position where the roller 33 can run onto the guide 32.Accordingly, as the vehicle moves through the receiving station, the arm 22 and the shaft 15 are caused to turn about the axis of the shaft in a direction to cause tipping of the body 13 as hereinbefore described. This carries the roller 34 on the arm 21 from a position in which it lies inwardly of the vehicle from the shaft to a position in which it projects downwardly and slightly outwardly from the shaft. The roller 34 can then run on to the guide 35, as the vehicle proceeds through the receiving station. This guide also is inclined upwardly to cause further turning of the shaft 15 until tipping of the body is completed.

The other guide 36 of the pair of guides which includes the guide 35 lies generally above the guide 35 to control turning of the shaft 15 and, as the vehicle proceeds still further through the receiving station, to drive the roller 34 downwardly and so turn the shaft 15 in the opposite direction to tip the body 13 back towards its upright attitude. Eventually, the roller 33 enters the gap between a third pair of guides 37,38 and the roller 33 is driven downwardly until the body moves into its upright attitude. The guide 39 which is paired with the guide 32 controls tipping of the body from the upright position so that whenever the body is out of its upright attitude, its attitude is controlled by the tipping means.

There are fixed on the frame 27 two releasing elements 40,41 which are spaced apart along the track. When the tipping means is in the active condition, these elements lie in the path of travel of fingers 42 on the detent 24. These fingers project laterally outwardly from the chassis 10 of the vehicle. As the roller 33 approaches the guide 32, one of these fingers engages a leading one of the releasing elements. The releasing elements have at each of their ends ramps up which the fingers can slide as the vehicle moves along the track, thereby rocking the detent 24 and withdrawing the shoulder 25 from beneath the flange 23. This action releases the body 13 for tipping relative to the chassis 10.As the body is tipped back towards its upright attitude, the leading finger 42 engages the trailing releasing element and again rocks the detent 24 relative to the chassis, so that the flange 23 can move into the position shown in Figure 3.

It will be noted that the flange 23 could alternatively push the detent 24 out of its path of travel to reach the position of Figure 3. Once the flange has moved to the position of Figure 3, the detent is returned by the spring 26 and the shoulder 25 assumes its position below the flange. It will be noted that the holding means can become effective to hold the container in its upright attitude without movement of the vehicle past the tipping means.

This is important, in the event of the body being tipped other than by the tipping means. For example, there may be provided at an end of the shaft 15 a ratchet handle to facilitate manual tipping.

When the tipping means is in its inactive condition, the guides 32 and 35 to 39 are withdrawn from the path of travel of the rollers 33 and 34 and the releasing elements 40 and 41 are withdrawn from the path of travel of the fingers 42, so that the vehicle can travel through the receiving station without the body 13 being released for tipping relative to the chassis.

For setting the tipping means in its active condition, there is provided setting means capable of transmitting motion from the vehicle to the tipping means. The setting means comprises a rocker 43 which is pivotally mounted on the carriage 28 and which carries a roller 44 at one of its ends. This roller serves as a cam follower for co-operation with a cam 45 mounted on the chassis 10 and projecting laterally therefrom at a level below that of the rollers 33 and 34. The cam extends without interruption along substantially the entire length of the vehicle. The rocker 43 is biased by springs 46 into a position in which the roller 44 lies in the path of travel of the cam 45 whenever the vehicle moves through the receiving station.As the vehicle enters the receiving station, the cam 45 pushes the roller 44 out of its path, thereby causing the rocker 43 to turn in an anti-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 7. At the end of the rocker remote from the roller 44, there is provided a projection 47 which is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 7 when the roller 44 is displaced by the cam 45.

A linkage is provided for selectively transmitting motion from the projection 47 to the frame 27. This linkage includes a lever 48 pivotally mounted on the carriage 28 and having one end engageable with an abutment on a plate 50 which is fixed to the frame 27. An opposite end portion of the lever 48 is pivotally connected with a link 51 having at its end remote from the lever 48 an abutment 52 which is engageabie by the projection 47.

The link 51 can pivot relative to the lever 48 between the position shown in Figure 7, in which the abutment 52 lies in the path of travel of the projection 47 and the setting mechanism is enabled, and a further position in which the abutment 52 lies out of the path of travel of the projection and the setting mechanism is disabled. For effecting movement of the link between these positions, there is provided a sector having a handle 53 linked by a pivoted rod 54 with an arm 55. The arm 55 is pivotally mounted on the rocker 43 and its free-end can bear against an extension 56 of the link 51. By turning the handle 53 through an angle of say, 900, the arm 55 can be pivoted sufficiently to push the extension 56 and the abutment 52 out of the path of travel of the projection 47.If this condition is selected before the vehicle reaches the receiving station, then movement of the roller 44 by the cam 45 on the vehicle will not cause movement of the tipping means.

Since the tipping means is normally held by springs 57 in its inactive condition, the vehicle will pass through the receiving station without discharging its load, It will be understood that a further lever (not shown) corresponding to the lever 48 is provided on the carriage 28 at a position spaced along the track from the lever 48. This lever is connected with the rocker 43 and acts on an abutment on a further plate corresponding to the plate 50.

A further rocker (not shown) corresponding to the rocker 43 is also provided at a position spaced along the track from the rocker 43. This rocker also is equipped with a cam follower, is biased by springs to a rest position and is associated with links and levers for moving the plate 50 and the corresponding plate relative to the carriage 28 towards the track. This further rocker is used to transmit to the tipping means motion from a vehicle approaching the receiving station in the opposite direction. A selector corresponding to that hereinbefore described is provided for the further link associated with the rocker 43. With both selectors in non-tipping positions, vehicles can travel along the track through the receiving station without tipping of their bodies.If one selector is placed in a tipping position, then vehicles entering the receiving station in one direction only will discharge their contents. Accordingly, a train of loaded vehicles can be pushed or drawn through the receiving station whilst all of the vehicle bodies remain upright. If the appropriate selector is then moved to the tipping position and the vehicles are pushed or drawn through the receiving station in the opposite direction, the body of each vehicle will be tipped as it moves through the receiving station. Alternatively, the contents of each vehicle body can be discharged by tipping as the train is moved through the receiving station in the first direction and the train can then be returned through the receiving station without further tipping.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of transferring mineral to a receiving station wherein the mineral is loaded into a tipping body of a rail vehicle with the body upright, the vehicle is drawn along a railway track through the receiving stotion the vehicle is returned through the receiving station and wherein the body is tipped to discharge the mineral as the vehicle moves through the receiving station in one direction only, the body remaining upright as the vehicle moves through the receiving station in the opposite direction.

2. A method according to Claim I wherein there is provided at the receiving station tipping means for co-operation with control means on the body to tip the body, wherein the tipping means is settable in either selected one of an active condition and an inactive condition and wherein the condition of the tipping means is changed after the vehicle is moved through the receiving station and before the vehicle is returned through the receiving station.

3. A method according to Claim I or Claim 2 wherein, during loading of the mineral into the vehicle body and prior to arrival of the vehicle at the receiving station, the vehicle body is held against tipping relative to the track and wherein the body is released for tipping as the vehicle enters the receiving station in said one direction.

4. A method according to Claim 2 wherein the tipping means is set by movement in a direction towards and away from the path of the vehicle, a release element for releasing the body is moved with the tipping means into and out of the path of travel of holding means of the vehicle, outside the receiving station, the holding means holds the body against tipping and, when the vehicle is moved through the receiving station with the tipping means in its active condition, the holding means engages the releasing element and is moved thereby to release the body for tipping.

5. A method according to Claim 4 wherein the tipping means returns the body to the upright attitude after the mineral has been discharged and before the vehicle leaves the receiving station, as the body approaches its upright attitude, the holding means engages a further releasing element and is moved to allow the body to assume the upright attitude.

6. A method according to Claim 2 or Claim 4 or according to Claim 3 or Claim 5, as appendant to Claim 2, wherein, during movement of the vehicle through the receiving station in one direction, movement is transmitted from the vehicle to the tipping means to set the tipping means in its active condition.

7. In combination, a rail vehicle suitable for running on a railway track and tipping means for installation at a selected position along the track, wherein the vehicle comprises a wheeled chassis, a body mounted on the chassis for tipping relative thereto about a tipping axis which extends in the direction of travel of the vehicle, control means for co-operation with the tipping means for tipping the body relative to the chassis and holding means for holding the body against tipping.

8. A combination according to Claim 7 wherein there is associated with the tipping means a release element for engaging the holding means of a vehicle passing the tipping means and for causing movement of the holding means to release the body for tipping.

9. A combination according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the tipping means is movable between active and inactive positions and the vehicle has setting means for imparting movement to the tipping means as the vehicle moves past the tipping means.

10. A combination according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein there is associated with the tipping means a setting mechanism for transmitting movement from the vehicle to the tipping means to set same in the active position and wherein there is provided a selector for selectively disabling the setting mechanism.

II. A combination according to Claim 10 wherein two setting mechanisms are provided, the setting mechanisms are arranged one for transmitting to the tipping means movement from a vehicle travelling in one direction along the track and the other for transmitting to the tipping means movement from a vehicle travelling in the other direction along the track.

12. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.

13. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

14. A combination comprising a vehicle and tipping means therefore, the combination being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.