GB2263493A

GB2263493A - An arrangement for renewing track.

Info

Publication number: GB2263493A
Application number: GB9301161A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Josef Theurer; Manfred Brunninger
Original assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Current assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1992-01-22
Filing date: 1993-01-21
Publication date: 1993-07-28
Also published as: GB9301161D0

Abstract

An arrangement (1) for renewing track in a continuous operational forward movement consists of two frame independently drivable parts (3, 4) joined together at an articulation point (5). The articulation point (5) is designed for the separation of the two frame parts (3, 4) during operational use. Devices (9, 11) for picking up old sleepers and laying down new sleepers, and an endless tracked undercarriage (14) are arranged in the rear end region of the front, first frame part (3). The rear, second frame part (4) carries guide elements (30, 38) for guiding the new rails (25) and the old rails (24). The second frame part (4) also has an extendible jib (29) for carrying an operator. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ARRANGEMENT FOR RENEWING TRACK The invention relates to an arrangement for renewing track in a continuous operational forward movement, comprising a machine frame composed of at least two frame parts joined together in an articulated manner in the region of an articulation point, which has respective undercarriages both at the ends and also in the region of the articulation point3 and which is connected to devices for picking up old sleepers and discharging new sleepers and for transporting the sleepers. and to auide elements .for guiding old and new rails.

and also to a caterpillar-trackedou'ndercarriage.

An arrangement for continuously renewing track is already known through EP-O 460 570 Al. This arrangement is composed of a machine frame which has two frame parts joined together in an articulated manner and which is provided in its rear end region with devices for picking up old sleepers and discharging new sleepers3 a vertically adjustable caterpillar

tracked undercarriage and guide elements for guiding old and

new rails. The caterpillar-trackedoundercarriage is located immediately in front of an undercarriage supporting the rear end of the machine frame and is provided with its own motive drive. A further undercarriage is provided in the region of an articulation point joining the two frame parts together in an articulated manner, in order to support the arrangement.

In operational use, the caterpillar-trackedrudercarriage is lowered on to the exposed ballast bed and the rear end of the machine frame or the rear undercarriage is thereby lifted from the track. The old rails are continuously spread apart in the region in front of the caterpillar-tracked

undercarriage and the new rails are placed on the laid new sleepers immediately behind the end of the arrangement. Since the bending stress of the rails should not exceed a specific maximum limit, the rear frame part has to be of an accordingly long construction.

Finally, through US-B 4,103,622 a mobile road and railway tamping machine is also known which is designed as a semitrailer and may be joined to a semi-trailer tractor by way of an appropriate releasable coupling. A vertically adjustable road-going undercarriage is provided in the rear end region of the tamping machine.

For operational use, the track tamping machine is moved over the track to be treated, is separated from the semitrailer tractor and on-tracked.

The object now underlying the invention is to develop an arrangement of the generic type with which exceeding of the maximum permissible bending stress of the new rails to be laid is reliably ruled out, while avoiding a long and heavy construction of the machine frame.

This object is achieved according to the invention with an arrangement of the type described in the introduction in that the articulation point is designed for the separation of the two frame parts during operational use, and the devices for picking up old sleepers and laying down new sleepers and the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage are arranged in the rear end region of the front1 first frame part with respect to the working direction, and the rear, second frame part is connected to guide elements for guiding the new rails.

This design is based on the conclusion that the drawing together of the new rails should be performed solely by the rear, second frame part and the replacement of the sleepers should be performed on the front3 first frame part. In the working application, because the two frame parts are designed to be separable, the rails can now be drawn together with a gentle line of curvature to avoid excessive bending stress entirely independently of constructional limits imposed by the length of the machine frame. By appropriately selectively spacing the two frame parts apart3 the line of curvature can thereby be varied almost as desired.Because of the shorter design of the first frame part made possible as a result of the construction according to the invention, and the consequent reduction in mass, as a further advantage the pressure of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage on the graded ballast bed is also reduced so that exact positioning of the new sleepers is ensured. Joining the two frame parts together enables them to be transferred more easily before or after operational use.

A constructionally particularly simple and expedient design of a coupling according to claim 2 enables the two frame parts to be separated more simply and quickly, and enables the machine mass of the front frame part to be further reduced as the rear end thereof is not encumbered in operational use with an undercarriage.

If, according to a further advantageous development of the invention, the two frame parts have respective separate motive drives3 then the two machine units are movable independently of one another in operational use, enabling in particular the line of curvature to be varied by appropriately selectively moving the rear frame part a distance away.

The design of the arrangement according to claim 4 enables the new rails which are to be drawn together to be precisely guided vertically and laterally, the front undercarriage of the rear frame part connected to the jib already being movable on the new rails.

The design according to the features of claims 5 and 6 allows the drawing together of the rails and the placing of the new rails on top of the sleepers to be precisely observed, and the advancing speed of the second frame part to be controlled in coordination with the independently movable first frame part disposed in front.

With the further development of the arrangement according to claim 7, the jib may be transferred in a simpler manner from the working into the transfer position or vice versa without exceeding the clearance gauge during this procedure.

The undercarriage provided according to the further design thereof as described in claim 8 facilitates both the coupling and decoupling procedure of the two frame parts and the lowering of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage on to the exposed ballast bed.

Finally, the two undercarriages respectively supporting the ends of the first frame part during the transfer journey may be relieved of load with the further design of the arrangement according to claims 9 and 10.

The invention is described below in detail with the aid of an embodiment represented in the drawing.

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a rear end, in the working direction, of an arrangement for renewing track which is in the transfer position3 Fig. 2 shows a front section of the arrangement adjoining the rear end according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a side view3 reduced in scale, of the arrangement for renewing track, in which the two frame parts of a machine frame are arranged so as to be separated from one another for operational use, and Fig. 4 shows a schematically simplified plan view of the arrangement according to Fig. 3.

The arrangement 1 for renewing track evident in Fig. 1 and 2 has two frame parts 3, 4 which form a machine frame 2 and which are joined together in an articulated manner in the region of an articulation point 5. The rear, second frame part, with respect to a working direction represented by an arrow 6, is supported on a track 8 in the region of its two ends by means of respective undercarriages 7 The front undercarriage 7 of the second frame part 4 is located immediately behind the articulation point 5. The front end of the front3 first frame part 3 is similarly connected to an undercarriage 7 and has a device 9 for picking up old sleepers 10 and a further device 11 for continuously laying down new sleepers 12.Located between these two devices 9, 11, which are disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the machine, is a caterpillar-tracked undercarriage 14 which is vertically adjustable and controllable by means of drives and which has a motive drive 13. Together with the following device 11, the said caterpillar-tracked undercarriage is surrounded by an endless, vertically adjustable excavating and grading chain 15 (see Fig. 4), the rear end thereof being connected to a transverse conveyor belt 16 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the machine and horizontally. Disposed in front of the two devices 11, 9 are respective sleeper transporting devices 17, 18.

Immediately in front of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage 14, in the working direction, a further undercarriage 19 is connected to the first frame part 3 so as to be vertically adjustable by means of drives 20. The undercarriage 19 is itself fixed to the rear end of a tool frame 21, the front end of which is for its part connected to the first frame part 3 by means of an articulation 22. The aforementioned device 9 for continuously picking up old sleepers 10 is similarly located on this tool frame 21. A plurality of guide elements 23, vertically and laterally adjustable by means of drives, is provided on each longitudinal side of the front, first frame part 3 for guiding old or new rails 24, 25 (Fig. 3; 4).

The articulation point 5 is composed of a pivot pin 26, connected to the second frame part 4 and arranged in the front end region thereof, and a circular coupling part 27 located at the rear end of the first frame part 3 for encircling the pivot pin 26. The second frame part 4 has a jib 29 projecting over its front end and vertically and laterally adjustable by means of drives 28, at the free end of which guide elements 30 are arranged for vertically and laterally guiding the new rails 25. The free end of the jib 29 is connected to a working cab 31 suitable for carrying an operator. This has control equipment 32 for controlling a motive drive 33.The jib 29 is fixed along with the working cab 31 on a supporting frame 34 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction thereof, the said supporting frame itself being mounted on the second frame part 4 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the machine. Located on either longitudinal side of the machine in front of the rear undercarriage 7 of the second frame part 4 is a vertically and laterally adjustable shoulder plough 39. A driver's cab 35 with central control equipment 36, which is disposed at the end, serves in particular for acting on the motive drive 33 for transfer journeys.

The operation of the arrangement 1 according to the invention is described in more detail below.

The arrangement 1 is transferred in the position represented in Fig. 1 and 2 to the track which is to be renewed. The two frame parts 3, 4 of the machine frame 2 are here joined together by the articulation point 5, while the cat-rpillar-tracked undercarriage 14 is in a raised inoperative position. The undercarriage 19 is moved on the track 8 and serves to support the tool frame 21 along with the devices 9, 23 fixed thereon. When the site of use has been reached, and with the arrangement 1 brought to a standstill, the locking elements for the articulation point 5 which are not represented specifically are removed and the drives 20 are acted upon. This causes the coupling part 27 to be lifted along with the rear section of the front frame part 3.As soon as the coupling part 27 is above the pivot pin 26, the motive drive 33 is acted upon and the rear frame part 4 is thereby moved away from the front frame part 3 (see Fig. 3 and 4). Next, by means of a drive 37, the jib 29 along with the working cab 31 is moved into a working position (Fig. 3) projecting over the front end of the frame part 4 and is lowered.

The old rails 24 which have meanwhile been detached from the old sleepers 10 in the region of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage 14 are spread apart by means of the corresponding guide elements 23 into the position which may be seen in Fig. 4, with the result that the old sleepers can be lifted freely off the track bed by the device 9. When the old sleepers 10 beneath the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage 14 have been removed, the latter is lowered on to the ballast bed. With action upon the drives 20, the undercarriage 19 is then lifted slightly along with the tool frame 21. The excavating and grading device 15 is lowered such that the accumulations of ballast in the region of the sleeper cribs are removed immediately in front of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage 14.

With action upon the motive drive 13, the front frame part 3 along with the further frame- or wagon units disposed in front but not represented in detail are continuously moved on in the direction of the arrow 6, the old sleepers 10 also being continuously lifted by means of the device 9 and new sleepers 12 being continuously laid on the graded ballast bed by means of the following device 11. The old sleepers 10 are continuously carried away in the known manner by way of the sleeper transporting device 18 and are stored on appropriate wagons, while in parallel therewith new sleepers 12 are continuously conveyed on the sleeper transporting device 17 to the device 11. In the course of the progressive forward movement of the front frame part 3, the new rails 25 supported laterally on the old track are threaded into the corresponding guide elements 23 of the front frame part 3.This procedure is also performed in the region of the guide elements 30 located on the jib 29 and the further guide elements 23 disposed on the second frame part 4. By means of the guide elements 38 (Fig. 4) located at the front end1 the new rails 25 are already guided and laid on the new sleepers 12 at a distance apart corresponding to the track gauge, with the result that the following front undercarriage 7 of the rear frame part 4 is already able to move on the new track. The operator in the working cab 31 can control the travelling speed as he wishes by means of the control equipment 32 so that the distance apart of the two frame parts 3, 4 may also thereby be varied according to the line of curvature which is desired and which is produced by the drawing-together or threading-in of the new rails 25. The accumulations of ballast produced by the transverse conveyor belt 16 in the sleeper end region and by the partial ballasting of the sleeper ends are treated by means of shoulder ploughs 39 connected to the second frame part 4.

After completion of the track renewal procedure which takes place with the continuous operational forward movement of the two frame parts 3, 4, the two parts 3, 4 are joined together again by the rear end of the frame part 3 being lifted slightly by means of the drives 20 and the pivot pin 26 being moved under the coupling part 27.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A machine arrangement for renewing track in a continuous operational forward movement, comprising a machine frame composed of at least two frame parts joined together separably and in an articulated manner in the region of an articulation point, which frame has respective undercarriages both at the ends and also in the region of the articulation point, for picking up old sleepers and laying down new sleepers and a

caterpillar-trackedXundercarriage arranged in a rear end region of the front, first frame part with respect to the working direction, guide elements for guiding new rails, connected to the rear, second frame part, and guide elements for the old rails.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the articulation point is composed of a pivot pin, connected to the second frame part and arranged in the front end region thereof which is supported on an undercarriage, and a circular coupling part located at the rear end of the first frame part for encircling the pivot pin.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the two frame parts each have a separate motive drive.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the second frame part has a jib protecting over the front end and vertically and laterally adjustable by means of drives, at the free end of which jib guide elements are arranged for vertically and laterally guiding the new rails.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that the free end of the jib is connected to a working cab suitable for carrying an operator.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that the working cab connected to the jib has control equipment for controlling the motive drive.

7. An arrangement according to any one of claims 4 to 6, chara-cterised in that the jib is fixed on a supporting frame so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction thereof, the said supporting frame itself being mounted on the second frame part so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the machine.

8. An arrangement according to any one of claim 1 to 7, characterised in that immediately in front of the caterpillar-tracked undercarriage, in the working direction, an undercarriage is connected to the first frame part so as to be vertically adjustable by means of drives.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, characterised in that the undercarriage is fixed to the rear end of a tool frame, of which the rear end is itself connected by means of drives, and the front end by means of an articulation, to the first frame part.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, characterised in that the tool frame is connected to the device for picking up the old sleepers and to conveyor devices for the removal thereof.

11. A machine arrangement for renewing railway track, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.