GB2298885A

GB2298885A - Track maintenance vehicle with enclosed work space

Info

Publication number: GB2298885A
Application number: GB9601515A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Josef Theurer
Original assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Current assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1995-03-16
Filing date: 1996-01-16
Publication date: 1996-09-18
Also published as: AU4812896A; FR2735505A1; FI961225A0; GB9601515D0; PL313240A1; CZ36496A3; ATA47295A; FI961225A; JPH08258709A; DE19608626A1

Description

1 2298885 A 95/00472 16. Marz 1995 GB-Fassuna Ma/sp-AT/G Franz Plasser

BahnbaumaschinenIndustriegesellschaft m.b.H. in Vienna A track maintenance vehicle 1 2 NA 443 ORIGINAL TEXT Ma/sp The invention relates to a track maintenance vehicle for carrying out track maintenance operations.

A flash butt welding machine is known through US 4 272 664 which has a machine frame mounted at both ends on on-track undercarriages. This machine frame is provided in its centre region with an upwardly recessed portion and carries a closed wagon body superstructure with driver's cabins arranged at each end. The recessed portion forms the actual working space of the machine and is accessible from one of the driver's cabins via an entry or exit. A working platform forms the floor of this working space, the said working platform being vertically adjustable by way of drives and extending between the rails in the longitudinal direction of the machine. A welding unit and a rail cutting machine are suspended for pendulum movement from the machine frame in the region of the working space and are vertically adjustable for operational use.

An installation for inserting and removing track panels is known through AT 388 001 B in the form of a platform loading wagon with an elongated machine frame designed for mobility on on-track undercarriages and also alternatively on caterpillar-tracked undercarriages. The loading surface of the platform wagon is designed as an assembly location for assembling or dismantling track panels, a crane designed to travel by way of guides along the machine frame serving to transport sleepers and rails during assembly.

Finally, another track maintenance machine for exchanging sleepers is also known through US 5 193 461. This machine has 3 a machine frame designed for mobility on on-track undercarriages and comprising an upwardly recessed portion. Housed beneath this portion forming the working region are working units which consist of a sleeper exchange device and a tamping unit. The old and new sleepers are conveyed to and from the working region by a crane which is designed to travel between the working region and a sleeper loading wagon by means of rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and arranged above the machine frame. The machine frame has an opening in its recessed portion bridging the working region which enables the sleepers to be passed therethrough by means of a crane jib of the crane.

The object of the present invention is now to provide a track maintenance vehicle for carrying out track maintenance operations with which, on the one hand, the workforce can have the most unobstructed access possible to the track on which the vehicle is travelling in order to carry out track maintenance operations, and, on the other hand, undesired entry onto an adjacent track can reliably be excluded.

This object is achieved with a track maintenance vehicle which is characterized by a crew cabin and a machine frame, supported on on-track undercarriages, with which two boundary devices are associated, each extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the machine, to create a working space located between the boundary devices, the crew cabin having a door in a wall extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the machine and facing the working space.

Maximum safety for the workforce is ensured by this design according to the invention at relatively low constructional expense. The workforce is now able to reach the section of track to be treated directly from the crew cabin, and any possibility of violating the clearance gauge of 4 the adjacent track is reliably ruled out by the two boundary devices. Since this particularly high degree of working safety includes both the working region itself and the route to the working region, necessary track maintenance operations can be carried out without disruption even between two tracks on which trains are freely travelling and with a maximum degree of safety. Because of the working space which is enclosed on all sides, the mental stress previously affecting the workforce of a potential and fatal work accident at any time through inattentiveness is completely eliminated, with the result that the ability to concentrate and the working efficiency can also thereby be optimized in conjunction with improved working quality.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are revealed by the subclaims.

The invention is described in more detail in the following with the aid of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a side view of a track maintenance vehicle for carrying out track maintenance operations, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross-section along the sectional line II in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 to 5 show other exemplary embodiments of a track maintenance vehicle, in side view.

A track maintenance vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1 for carrying out track maintenance operations is designed to travel by means of on-track undercarriages 2 on a track 3. A machine frame 4 of the track maintenance vehicle 1 is composed of two frame parts 6,7, joined together by means of an articulation 5 and arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction of the machine. In a portion 8 of the machine frame 4 or frame part 6 which is designed so as to be upwardly recessed, two downwardly projecting boundary devices 9 are provided, each extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the machine. These serve, as Fig. 2 in particular shows, to define a working space 10 located over the track 3. Various track maintenance operations can be carried out largely unhindered in this working space. A crew cabin 11 has a door 13 in a wall 12 extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the machine and facing the working space 10. Adjoining this door 13 is an access 45 to the working space 10, formed by part of the machine frame 4, this access also including a ladder 16 which is connected to the machine frame 4. This enables the workforce in the crew cabin 11 to get to the working space 10 by way of the access 45 without having to leave the track maintenance vehicle 1.

A driver's cabin 14, located opposite the crew cabin 11 which is also provided with driving equipment for controlling the track maintenance vehicle 1, likewise has a door 15 through which the working space 10 can similarly be reached without leaving the track maintenance vehicle 1, via an access 45 or a ladder 32. An engine 18 is provided for supplying a motive drive 17 and all other drives with energy.

A loading surface 19 and also a loading crane 21 which is vertically and laterally adjustable by means of drives 20 are associated with the frame part 7 which is designed in the form of a trailer. Measuring axles 23 which are vertically adjustable by means of drives 22 and which are designed to ride on the track 3 serve to determine track geometry errors. These are recorded and stored in a recording device 24.

As Fig. 2 shows, the boundary devices 9, which are designed in the form of bars and are secured to the f rame part 6, are designed so as to be adjustable by means of drives 25 independently of one another relative to the machine frame 4 (0 (see dot and dash lines). Associated with the working space 10 is a load- carrying means 27 which is adjustable relative to the machine frame 4 by means of drives 26. This load-carrying means is designed as a lifting mechanism 29 which has a vertically adjustable crane hook 28. The load- carrying means 27 is mounted so as to be displaceable longitudinally on crane rails 30 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and connected to the portion 8 of the machine frame 4.

Provided approximately centrally between the two boundary devices 9 which extend parallel to one another is a gangway 31 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and horizontally, each end of which is connected to the machine frame 4 by way of a ladder 16,32. The gangway 31 is disposed immediately above the track 3 at a distance of preferably about 30 to 40 cm and is expediently detachably connected to the two ladders 16,32.

In the exemplary embodiments described in the following, parts serving identical functions are indicated by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1 and 2, in order to avoid repetitions.

A machine arrangement is shown in Fig. 3 which is composed of a track maintenance vehicle 1 and a permanent way motor wagon 33 coupled thereto. The latter has a machine frame 35 supported on on-track undercarriages 34 and comprising a loading surface 36, a loading crane 37 and a driver's cabin 38.

The working space 10 laterally enclosed by the boundary devices 9 is accessible from the driver's cabin 14, also serving as the crew cabin, by way of the ladder 16 without the need to leave the track maintenance vehicle 1. Associated with each boundary device 9 is an escape opening 40 which may be locked by means of locking means 39. The locking means 39, designed as a door bolt with a safety fastening, for example, is connected to a safety device 41 which, in the event of the locking means 39 being released, issues an acoustic and/or optical warning signal to warn the working crew.

The track maintenance vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 4 combines the arrangements illustrated in Fig. 1 on a single one-piece machine frame 4. The loading surface 19 is located on the said machine frame above the working space 10 and the boundary devices 9. Provided at the opposite end of the machine frame 4 to the crew and driver's cabin 11 is the vertically and laterally adjustable loading crane 21.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the machine frame 4 is designed so as to extend in a single plane. In a region of the loading surface 19 immediately adjoining the crew cabin 11 a work opening 42 extending in the horizontal plane is provided in the machine frame 4. This may be created, for example, by pivoting up a flap 43 which may be installed in the horizontal position as the base surf ace of the loading surface 19. The sides of the work opening 42 are defined by two longitudinal beams 44 of the machine frame 4 which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the machine and extend parallel to one another.

As soon as the flap 43 has been pivoted upwards with the aid of the loading crane 21, there is unobstructed access via the door 13 of the crew cabin 11 and the ladder 16 to the working space 10 which is enclosed in the transverse direction of the machine by the two boundary devices 9. However, these boundary devices, mounted on the machine frame 4 so as to be vertically adjustable independently of one another, could also be dispensed with in this exemplary embodiment as the two aforementioned longitudinal beams 44 of the machine frame 4 are also effective as boundary devices. The loading crane 21 can be used as the load-carrying means 27 for the working space 10.

8

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A track maintenance vehicle for carrying out track maintenance operations, characterized by a crew cabin and a machine frame, supported on on-track undercarriages, with which two boundary devices are associated, each extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the machine, to create a working space located between the boundary devices, an access located on the machine frame being provided between a door of the crew cabin and the working space.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the machine frame has a portion in the region of the boundary devices which is designed so as to be upwardly recessed.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the boundary devices projecting downwards from the machine frame are designed so as to be adjustable relative to the machine frame by means of drives.

4. A vehicle according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a load-carrying means which is adjustable relative to the machine frame by means of drives is associated with the working space.

5. A vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the loadcarrying means is designed as a lifting mechanism which has a vertically adjustable crane hook and which is mounted for displacement on crane rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine and connected to the 9 portion of the machine frame which is designed so as to be upwardly recessed.

6. A vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the loadcarrying means is designed as a loading crane which is vertically and laterally adjustable by means of drives and which is secured to the machine frame (Fig. 5).

7. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the machine frame has a work opening in the region of the boundary devices which extends in the horizontal plane and which is bounded in the transverse direction of the machine by longitudinal beams of the machine frame extending parallel to one another in the transverse direction of the machine and extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine.

8. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that between the two boundary devices, a gangway, extending in the horizontal plane and in the longitudinal direction of the machine, is connected to the machine frame.

9. A vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the gangway is terminated by a ladder associated with the access or the door of the crew cabin.

10. A vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the gangway is arranged at a vertical distance of about 40 cm above the track.

11. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an escape opening is associated with the boundary device which is lockable by means of locking means, a safety device being associated with the locking means to issue an acoustic and/or optical warning signal.

12. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the boundary devices are designed as bars.

13. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the boundary devices are mounted on the machine frame so as to be vertically adjustable independently of one another.

14. A vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the machine frame is formed from two frame parts, joined together by means of an articulation, the working space being associated with one frame part and a loading surface with a loading crane being associated with the other frame part.

15. A machine arrangement for carrying out track maintenance operations comprising a track maintenance vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by the combination with a permanent way motor wagon which has a loading surface, a loading crane and a driver's cabin.

16. A vehicle for carrying out track maintenance operations, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.