GB2272874A

GB2272874A - Freight wagon for carrying trailers.

Info

Publication number: GB2272874A
Application number: GB9224912A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Markku Kauppila; Matti Brostroem
Original assignee: TRANSTECH Ltd Oy
Current assignee: TRANSTECH Ltd Oy
Priority date: 1992-11-27
Filing date: 1992-11-27
Publication date: 1994-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-27
Also published as: DE4338299A1; GB9224912D0; GB2272874B

Abstract

A freight wagon for carrying semi-trailers, trailers or the like comprises an open frame (11) which in the middle parts (12) is open. The loadbearing structures (5) of the frame (11) consist of the bottoms (7) of the wheel wells (6), plate-like side walls (8) which extend upwards from the bottoms (7) on the sides of the wagon, and of upper flanges (9) projecting from the upper edges of the walls to the outside of the freight wagon. The walls (15, 20) of the wheel wells (6) one inclined so as to provide guides for the wheels. <IMAGE>

Description

4 1 FREIGHT WAGON FOR CARRYING TRAILERS 2272874, A freight wagon for

carrying semi-trailers, trailers etc. comprising an open frame with side members, whereby the bottom of the wagon is mainly open and non-bearing at least at the middle portions thereof, the frame comprising loadbearing structures on the axial sides of the wagon.

The invention relates to a freight wagon for carrying semi10 trailers, trailers etc., to which the trailers are loaded using a crane which lowers the trailers into a loading well in the freight wagon. These kinds of freight wagons are referred to as well wagons. Publications DE-1 942 703, DE3 436 932 and US-4 456 413 describe freight wagons used in this way. Because the cross-sectional outer dimensions of a freight wagon are defined by strict regulations all over the world, while the outer dimensions of the load, i.e., the trailer or the semi-trailer or possibly a container are close to the permitted outer dimensions of the freight wagon, the problem occurs of how to produce the load-bearing structures of a freight wagon in such a way that they are sufficiently rigid and strong and yet their cross-sectional dimensions are small. For instance, the dimensions of the trailers generally only allow the freight wagon to have a very thin bottom and relatively narrow sides. one possibility to make the freight wagon sufficiently rigid is to make the sides higher, but this makes the loading and unloading of the trailer very difficult resulting in that the freight wagon itself can not be made too high. In addition, the height of the freight wagon can be restricted by regulations in the same way as the other dimensions. In publication DE-1 942 703, the problem of loadbearing capacity is solved by implementing a box beam or I-beans on the axial middle line of the wagon between the wheels of the trailer, carrying the major part of the load. Because they are not subjected to substantial load, the sides of the wagon can thus be made of very thin material. Publication DE-3 436 932 discloses the use of a fairly flat box beam 2 between the wheels of the trailer carried by the axial middle line of the freight wagon and, in addition to that, I-beams with thick upper and lower flanges on the sides of the wagon. In this case the sides of the freight wagon 5 become relatively thick.

Publication CH-429 812 describes a freight wagon in which the trailers are loaded by driving them in. Otherwise the wagon resembles the above described ones. This publication solves the problem of the rigidity and strength of the freight wagon by using box beams on the sides of the wagon so that the thickness of the beams becomes substantial and the freight wagon itself thus becomes relatively wide.

In all the above publications the bottom of the wagon is solid, improving the loadbearing capacity. However, a considerable drawback with such structure is, particularly in a northern climate, that snow and ice pile up in the wagon in the winter. The problem of this type of wagon in any location is that litter and impurities pile up causing corrosion problems and other disadvantages.

Publication US-4 456 413 describes a type of freight wagon where the bottom of the wagon consists of a grating which allows water, snow and at least a part of the impurities to go through so that they do not pile up inside the wagon. In the reference cited, the rigidity of the freight wagon is achieved by using fairly wide, triangular stanchions extending across the wagon to reinforce the plate- like sides. This structure also makes the sides of the wagon relatively thick.

Publication EP-344 667 describes a freight wagon with a bottom which is mainly open in the middle portions thereof; therefore, no problems of the piling up of snow, ice and litter occur. On the other hand, the trailers in this publication are loaded by driving then on top of the structural element which carries the load and is turned to c 1 3 the side, otherwise the general principles of the structure provide the state of the art which is very close to the invention. In the reference cited, the side beams comprise box beams and their thickness is thus relatively large.

Generally, it is the purpose of this invention to provide a freight wagon which carries semi-trailers used in road transport, for instance, and which is adapted for traffic on both the Continent of Europe and in England and which can be loaded with trailers meeting the respective local road traffic regulations.

The permitted dimensions of freight wagons, trailers and their combinations are limited by the following regulations, for instance:

1. In rail traffic, the permitted loading gauge in England (W6-gauge) 2. In rail traffic, the permitted loading gauge on the Continent (UIC 5053), for instance, in France 3. In road traffic, the permitted loading gauge in England 4. In road traffic, the permitted loading gauge on the Continent, for instance, in France.

Fig. 1 presents the permitted loading gauge in the English 25 railroad traffic, drawn by full line 1 (W6) and the one permitted on the Continent of Europe, drawn by the line of dots and dashes 2 (UIC). The loading gauge simultaneously permitted by the traffic of both areas is presented by making the limiting line thicker, especially in the area of the lower portion of axial sides 13 of wagon 10. As the Figure shows, a freight wagon with its load must be narrower and flatter in its overall height in England than on the Continent. The ground clearance of the wagon is slightly larger in continental traffic, but practically speaking it is the tightly-dimensioned English railroad network that sets the dimensions of the wagon.

The actual problem is created by the road traffic trailers.

4 The greatest allowable Continental trailer width as measured on the tyres is 2400 mm, on the fenders 2500 mm, and on the loading height 2600 mm. The same dimensions in England are, as measured on the tyres, 2300 mm, and on the load height 2500 mm. The building of the tunnel under the Channel, however, created demand for the development of an English, i.e., a narrow freight wagon 10 which can be loaded with wide continental trailers 23. Fig. 1 presents the maximum width of one side of trailer 23, marked by line 3.

The overall height of an empty freight wagon carrying trailers, i.e., line 21 in Fig. 1, is chosen to be proportionally flat from the point of view of the trailers$ loading, for instance 1177 mm. A greater travel width of the wagon is permitted in England even at the height of line 22 which exceeds 1106 mm.

The above drawbacks can be eliminated and the determined objects realized by the structure according to the invention

Claims

and characterized by what is defined in the characterizing clause of Claim 1. The primary advantage of the invention is that a rigid freight wagon frame with good loadbearing capacities can be obtained thereby for trailers etc., the frame being open in the middle to avoid the piling up of impurities. Another advantage of the invention is that the structure is simple and cost-effective. In the following the invention is described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. Fig. 1 represents schematically the loading gauge permitted by railroad traffic and the principle of the invention. Figs. 2A and 2B represent the freight wagon according to the invention in full as viewed from the side and from the top, respectively. Figs. 3A and 3B represent cross sections of the freight wagon of the invention along planes A-A and B-B of Figs.

1 1 2A, 2B.

Figs. 4A and 4B represent another embodiment of the freight wagon according to the invention by similar illustrations as Figs. 3A and 3B.

Figs. 5A-5C represent three embodiments of the upper flange of the side of the freight wagon according to the invention. Figs. 6A-6C represent the fourth embodiment of the upper flange of the freight wagon according to the invention.

Fig. 7 represents the fifth embodiment of the upper flange of the freight wagon according to the invention.

Surprisingly, it has been discovered that a structure of a f reight wagon can be obtained which enables the achievement of the permitted reaches of travel and which then can be used in England as well, but which allows the loading of all kinds of trailers. Fig. 1 shows with lines and thick drawings the cross-sectional area between the loading gauge and the load of the freight wagon, utilized in the frame of the wagon 11 according to the invention.

Figs. 2A and 2B generally represent freight wagon 10 according to the invention. The invention is thus aimed at a freight wagon for carrying semi-trailers 23, trailers or the like, which consists of open side beam frame 11. Thus bottom 4 of the wagon is at least in the middle portions 12 thereof mainly open and non-bearing comprising the minimum number of parts which collect impurities. The loadbearing structures of frame 11 of freight wagon 10 thus consist of beams 5 on the axial sides 13. Space 12 of these loadbearing axial beams is thus mainly open and comprises only wheel wells 6 along the substantial length thereof for supporting trailer 23 at its wheels 24. In addition, fixed wheel barriers 25a, 25b, 25c which serve as cross beams are provided between loadbearing beams 5 on sides 13, preventing the axial movement of the trailer. These beam-like wheel barriers 25a, 25b, 25c secured to axial beams 5 and preferably to bottoms 7 of the wheel wells provide wagon frame 11 with torsional rigidity, in particular. The freight 6 wagon further contains supporting board 26, known per se, for supporting at least one end of the semi-trailer and locking it in place. In addition to said fixed wheel barriers, the freight wagon may. of course, comprise adjustable wheel barriers 29 for abnormal wheel sizes, for instance.

According to the invention, these loadbearing side structures or side beams 5 consist of an entirety formed by bottoms 7 of wheel wells 6, mainly plate-like side walls 8 extending upwards from these bottoms, and relatively massive upper flanges 9 projecting from the upper edges of the walls to the outside of freight wagon 10. Bottom 7 of the wheel well, side wall 8 extending upwards from there on side 13 of the wagon, and the projecting upper flange 9 together form a Z-beam, the strength and rigidity of which is very good. It can be concluded that thickness Ti of the plate-like side walls 8 is in the order of 25 mm at the most and thickness T2 of the massive upper f lange 9 is in the horizontal direction approximately 130 mm at the most and thickness T3 of the upper f lange is in the vertical direction in the order of 70 mm at the most. Bottoms 7 of wheel wells 6 can be arranged so that they are in the same order of thickness as walls 8 or they can be slightly thicker.

According to the invention side wall portions 8 of the axial loadbearing structures 5 are essentially supportless and thus generally consist of single plate 18, such as steel plate. Depending on the thickness of plate 18 it is, of course, possible to arrange a small vertical or axial corrugation in it to make it rigid, but no essential beams are used. If plate material 18 of side wall 8 is relatively thin, reinforcing ribs secured to plate 18 can be used, the thickness of which is in the order of this material thickness at the most. Said upper flange 9 can consist of solid material 19, as seen in Figs. 5A-5C. Upper flange 9 can also be Ugroove 14 which expands downwards, as seen in Figs. 6A-6C and 7. The dimensioning of the upper flange varies in Figs. SA-5C to some degree and the welded joint 7 between upper flange 9 and side wall 8 is made in different ways. Upper flange 9 in Figs. 6A-6C is made by bending wall plate 18 outwards and by welding downward projecting moulding 28 to outer edge 27. In Fig. 7 the whole upper flange 9 is made by bending plate 18 of the wall material to the U-shape.

In addition to the above features, side walls 8 are slightly inclined from the vertical at least on the lower portion thereof and at least by wheel well 6 in such a way that inclined portion 15 is formed on the lower part of the side wall. This inclined portion 15 is formed in such a way that distance D1 between side walls 8 in the cross direction of the wagon is decreased from the top towards bottom 7 of the wheel well, as illustrated in Figs. 3A, 3B and 4B. In this way the side walls can be made to form external guiding surfaces for the wheels of trailer 23. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3A and 3B, inclined portion 15 is made from the same plate material 18 as side wall 8 and thus forms a solid structural portion 16 together with the wall. In another embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4B, this inclined portion 15 for the external wheel guiding surface consists of one or more indvidual pairs of plate parts 17 supported on the side wall in the middle portions of wheels 24 of trailers 23. Plate parts 17 guide the trailer to the middle of the freight wagon in such a way that the fenders of the trailer do not hit the side beams while loading. For this purpose length L1 of plate parts 17 in the axial direction of the wagon is smaller than the diameter of wheels 24 of the trailer. When rigidly attached to the side structure, this separate plate part 17 or plate parts can also serve as a reinforcement for side wall 8 which forms the web of the loadbearing side structure 5.

In addition, bottoms 7 of wheel wells 6 are preferably provided with axial vertical edges 20 surrounding the open middle part 12 and extending somewhat upwards from bottom 7 of the wheel well. These vertical edges 20 surrounding the 8 open middle part 12 further reinforce axial loadbearing structures 5. When these vertical edges 20 are slightly inclined from the vertical in such a way that distance D2 between the surfaces of these vertical edges which face away f rom each other, in the cross direction of wagon 10, is increased towards bottom 7 of the wheel wells, internal wheel guiding surfaces can be formed into the wheel wells. Thus the wheels of the trailers can be guided to their proper place using their outer surfaces, inner surfaces or both surfaces, depending on the dimensions of the wheel.

Upper f lange 9 with the U-shape expanding downwards, as illustrated in Pigs. 6A-6C and 7, further has the advantage of allowing a saf e drawing of tubing, wiring, and especially the brake piping of the train relatively high from one end of the wagon to the other, which is very advantageous.

It will of course be appreciated that the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that modifications of detail mayh be made without departing from the scope of the invention as def ined by the following claims.

9 CLAIMS 1. A freight wagon for carrying semi-trailers, trailers or the like, the freight wagon comprising an open frame with side beams, whereby the bottom of the wagon is open and nonload-bearing at least in the middle parts thereof, the frame comprising loadbearing structures on the axial sides of the wagon, characterized in that said loadbearing side structures consist of bottoms of wheel wells, side walls on the sides of the wagon, extending upwards from the bottoms, and axial upper flanges projecting from the upper edges of the side walls to the outside of the freight wagon.

2. A freight wagon according to Claim 1, characterized in that the side walls are essentially supportless and consist of a single plate, and that the upper flange is either made from solid material or is a flat U-groove expanding downwards.

3. A f reight wagon according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the side wall comprises in the lower edge thereof, against the wheel well, a portion inclined from the vertical in such a way that the distance between the side walls in the cross direction of the wagon is decreased towards the bottom of the wheel well in order to form external guiding surfaces for the wheels.

4. A freight wagon according to Claim 3, characterized in that said inclined portion consists either of a structural member forming the side wall or of a separate plate portion supported on the side wall.

5. A freight wagon according to Claim 4, characterized in that length of the plate portions forming the guiding surfaces for the wheels is smaller in the axial direction of the freight wagon than the diameter of the wheels of a trailer, and that said plate portions are adapted to be 1 located against the bosses of these wheels.

6. A freight wagon according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottoms of the wheel wells comprise axial, vertical edges surrounding said open middle part and extending upwards from the bottom of the wheel well and being inclined from the vertical in such a way that the distance between these vertical edges in the cross direction of the wagon is increased towards the bottom of the wheel wells in order to form internal guiding surfaces for the wheels.

7. A freight wagon according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized by further comprising at least one fixed wheel barrier extending transversely of the wagon and rigidly attached to at least said side walls in order to form a cross beam which connects the loadbearing structures of the axial sides.

8. A freight wagon substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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