GB2356615A - Access means for a rail track - Google Patents

Description

2356615

PATENTS ACT 1977 A9958GB-JNL/RAL/sa Title: Access Means Description of Invention

This invention relates to an access means, for example, for providing access for a vehicle or pedestrian or the like onto or over a railway track, and particularly but not exclusively for a railway track having one or more electrical supply rails.

Hitherto, for example, when it has been desired to provide access for a vehicle to move along a railway track it has been necessary for the vehicle to move generally transversely to the track into a position in which the vehicle is supported on top of the rails of the track and then the vehicle has been rotated so as to lie generally parallel to the track.

In an attempt to avoid damage to the track during such procedures it has been commonplace to use baulks of timber to provide a ramp so that the vehicle can climb on to the top of the track and in addition the baulks have been disposed above the rails in an attempt to avoid damage during the rotating operation.

Also, for example, when it has been desired to move a vehicle transversely across a railway track, baulks of timber have been used to provide a ramp up to and down from the track with the baulks being disposed above the rails so as to avoid damage to the rails during passage over the rails.

The use of such baulks of timber is inconvenient and time consuming and frequently the baulks become displaced, in use, leading to damage to the track and/or vehicles and/or may cause tripping or other injury or inconvenience to a pedestrian.

Such problems are particularly exacerbated where the rail track comprises one or more electrical supply rails. Such rails are usually of a lightweight material, for example, aluminium, and are supported on insulators 2 which conventionally comprise a ceramic material. Such supply rails are therefore unable to bear a significant load compared to the running rails. When working on such a railway track, it is standard practice to disconnect and remove the electrical supply rails, prior to the work commencing, and to replace the supply rails when work is completed Such a process is time consuming, and can lead to damage to the rails or the insulators especially when the supply rails are reinstalled.

An object of the invention is to provide access means whereby the above problem are overcome or reduced.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, we provide an access means for a rail track comprising a pair of generally parallel running rails, the access means comprising at least one bridge part received on said running rails and disposed transversely to said running rails, said bridge part supporting a surface part.

The surface part may comprise a deck panel having a upper surface, the deck panel being removably mounted on said at least one bridge part.

The access means may be provided with guide rails.

The guide rails may be provided on the bridge part.

The guide rails may be disposed generally parallel to one another and be spaced from one another by a distance generally the same as the distance between the running rails.

The surface part may be shaped to provide a recess adjacent each of said guide rails to receive a flange of a flanged wheel mounted on said guide rails.

The access means may be provided with ramp means.

The ramp means may comprise a plurality of ramp elements and a connecting means flexibly connecting said plurality of ramp elements.

The ramp means may comprise ramp engagement means to engage said bridge part.

3 The ramp engagement means may comprise a hook part engageable in an aperture provided on the bridge part.

The access means may comprise a tunnel part having a foot, a tunnel surface part and a tunnel engagement means to engage a part of said bridge.

The tunnel engagement means may comprise a hook part receivable in a aperture provided on the bridge part.

The tunnel surface pall may be of generally the same height as the surface part of the bridge part.

The tunnel part may comprise an aperture to receive the ramp engagement means.

Where a first electrical supply rail is disposed between and generally parallel to said running rails, said bridge part may be shaped such that the bridge part does not engage said first supply rail.

Where said rail track comprises a second electrical supply rail disposed generally parallel to and not between said running rails, the tunnel part may be adapted such that, when engaged with the bridge part, said tunnel part encloses but does not engage said second supply rail.

The access means may comprise at least one riser wherein said riser comprises an inclined guide part extending between one of said guide rails and one of said running rails.

Said inclined guide pail may have a relatively high part at generally the same height as an upper surface of said guide rail and a relatively low part ad acent an upper surface of said running rail.

The riser may be removably engaged with said bridge part and abut said running rail.

The access means may be provided with a pair of said risers, one of said risers being disposed in engagement with each of said running rails.

4 According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a rail track comprising a pair of generally parallel rails and an access means according to the first aspect of the invention.

The rail track may have one or more electrical supply rails which are bridged by said access means.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of part of an access means according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a further perspective view of an access means according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a section on line 33-3 of Figure 2, Figure 4a is a plan view of a bridge part of an access means according to the present invention, Figure 4b is a side view of the bridge part of Figure 4a Figure 5a is a plan view of the underside of a deck panel of an access means according to the present invention, Figure 5b is a side view of the deck panel of Figure 5a Figure 6a is a plan view of the underside of a tunnel part according to the present invention, Figure 6b is a side view of the tunnel pail of Figure 6a, Figure 7 is a side view of a ramp element according to the present invention, Figure 8a is a plan view of a riser of an access means according to the present invention, and Figure 8b is a side view of the riser of Figure 8a.

Figures I to 4 show an access means A according to the present invention mounted on a rail track of conventional type generally indicated at T. The rail track T comprises a pair of running rails 10 disposed generally parallel to one another. Each of the running rails 10 has an upper surface I I which engages a part of a wheel of a vehicle travelling along the track T. The running rails 10 are interconnected by a plurality of transversely extending sleepers 12 in conventional manner. A first supply rail 13 is disposed between the running rails 10 and generally parallel thereto, the first supply rail 13 being mounted on insulators 14, which are conventionally ceramic. A second supply rail 15 is disposed parallel to the running rails 10, adjacent to one of the running rails 10 but not between the pair of running rails 10. The second supply rail 15 is similarly mounted on insulators 16. Electric current may be supplied in conventional manner to a train travelling on track T by the first electrical supply rail 13 and the second electrical supply rail 15.

The access means A comprises a plurality of bridge parts 20. As seen in Figures 4a and 4b each bridge part 20 comprises a pair of generally horizontal rectangular foot parts 21a, 21b interconnected by a connecting part 22. The connecting part 22 is connected to the foot parts 21a, 21b such that the connecting part 22 is above the level of the foot parts 2 Ia. 2 1 b. The foot parts 21a,, 21b are disposed such that their longitudinal axes are generally parallel. The foot parts 2 Ia, 2 1 b are each provided with a downwardly depending rib 23 disposed generally parallel to the long axis of each foot parts 2 Ia. 2 lb.

Each foot part 21a, 21b is provided with a plurality of apertures 33, in the present example for, disposed adjacent an outer edge of the foot part 21a, 2 lb.

The connecting part 22 comprises a hollow box-section elongate element having an upper surface 22a and side walls 22b. At each end of the connecting part 22 is an inclined face 24. The connecting pail 22 is connected to each foot part 21a, 21b by an upwardly extending limb 25. Further connected between the foot part 21a, 21b and the connecting part 22 is an inclined brace element 26. The brace element 26 comprises a plate having a pair of inwardly directed 6 inclined edges 27 and a recess 28 provided in the brace element 26 to receive the connecting part 22.

Disposed on each foot part 21 a, 21b is a guide rail 29. Each guide rail 29 comprises an elongate element of hollow square cross section. The guide rails are mounted on the foot parts 2 1 a, 2 lb such that the guide rails 29 extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of the foot parts 21a, 21b. Each guide rail 29 is spaced from the corresponding limb 25 to define a channel 30 and is provided with a transversely extending internal rib 3)1 disposed within the guide rail 29 adjacent the upper internal surface of the hollow square cross section at a position near each end of the guide rail 29. Each guide rail 29 has a top surface 32. The guide rails 29 are disposed such that flanged wheels of a railway vehicle of conventional type may be received on the top surfaces 32 of said guide rails 29 with a flange of said wheels received in the channels 30.

A deck panel 34 is shown in Figures 6a and 6b. The deck panel 33 comprises an upper plate 34a. At each end of the upper plate 34a, an inclined surface 35 is provided, the angle of the inclined surfaces 35 being generally the same as that of the inclined faces 24 of the connecting part 22. Stiffening means 36 are provided connected below the upper plate 34a, the stiffening means 36 comprising a pair of generally parallel longitudinal ribs 37 disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the deck panel 34 and extending over the greater part of the deck panel 3)4 but disposed such that a small end part of the inclined sections 35 projects beyond the end of the longitudinal ribs 37. The longitudinal ribs 37 are spaced from the edges of the upper plate 34a to define an unobstructed edge part 3)4b. Connected between the longitudinal ribs 37 are a plurality of transverse ribs -38 depending downwardly from the upper plate 34a. The deck panel 34 is provided with a plurality of hand holds 39, in the present example four, two handholds disposed towards each end of the deck panel 34.

7 The access system A further comprises a plurality of tunnel parts 40 shown in more detail in Figures 6a and 6b. Each tunnel part 40 comprises a generally horizontal tunnel surface part 41. Downwardly depending from the tunnel surface part 41 is an outer limb 42, at the base of which limb is provided a transversely outwardly extending foot 43. A downwardly depending inner limb 44 is attached to the tunnel surface part 41 spaced from the outer limb 42.

A plurality of tunnel engagement parts 45 are provided comprising hook parts depending from the limb 44, the tunnel engagement parts 45 being receivable in the apertures 33 of the bridge part 20 to connect the tunnel part 40 to the bridge part 20.

Stiffening means is provided in the form of internal ribs 46 which abut the inner faces of the tunnel surface part 4 1, outer limb 42 and inner limb 44, and which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel part 40.

Attached to the outer surface of the outer limb 42 is an outwardly projecting flange 47. The flange 47 is disposed generally parallel to the foot 43 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 48, in like manner to the apertures 33 provided on the foot parts 21 a, 21b.

A plurality of hand holds 49 may be provided, in the present example four, two handholds 49 being disposed towards each end of the tunnel part 40.

The access means A further comprises a ramp means 50 to provide vehicular access to the deck panels 34. Each ramp means 50 comprises a plurality of discrete ramp elements 5 1. As best seen in Figure 8, each discrete ramp element 51 comprises a ramp surface part 52 provided with ridges 52a for traction. At one end of the ramp surface part 52 is provided a downwardly extending hook part 53. Side walls 54 depend from the ramp surface part 52, and are connected at their lower edges by a lower wall 55. A ground engaging part 56 is provided at the opposite end of the ramp element to the hook means 53 and comprises a first end part 58 extending transversely to the lower wall 55 and a downwardly extending part 57 of the upper surface part 52.

8 Each ramp element 51 is provided with a pair of holes 59 disposed in the side walls 54 through which a flexible connecting means (not shown), for example a cable, may be passed to connect a plurality of ramp elements such that the ramp elements are relatively movable. Such a flexible connection allows the ramp means to accommodate variations in height of the ground on which the ramp means 50 is disposed. A suitable connecting means is disclosed in our co-pending application no. GB 9901130.6.

To facilitate handling, the ramp means may be provided with hand holds, in the present example in the form of an aperture 5 1 a provided in each ramp element 5 1.

In the present example, each ramp means 50 comprises four discrete ramp elements 51 connected by said flexible connection means. Ramp means may of course be provided with any number of discrete ramp elements as desired.

The access means A further comprises risers 60, as shown in Figures 8a and 8b. Each riser 60 comprises an inclined section 61 connected to a horizontal section 62. The inclined section 61 has an upper surface which provides an inclined guide part 6 1 a for a flanged wheel. The horizontal section 62 is of the same hollow square cross section as the guide rails 29. Plates 63a are provided at either side of the riser 60 such that a lower part of each plate 63a depends below a lower surface of the inclined section 61 and horizontal section 62, the separation of plates 6-3)a being such that they are located on either side of a running rail 10 when the riser 60 is mounted thereon to maintain the riser in a desired position relative to the rail 10. A first base plate 63b is disposed towards the end of the inclined section part 61 and a second base plate 63c is disposed towards the end of the horizontal section 62 to engage the upper surface 11 of the running rail 10. VAien located on a rail 10, the inclined guide part 61a has a relatively high part at generally the same height as an 9 upper surface of said guide rail and a relatively low part adjacent an upper surface of said running rail.

Attached to the horizontal part 62 is a linking means 64 comprising a pair of arms 65 each attached to an internal side wall of the horizontal section 62 such that they extend generally parallel to one another outwardly of the horizontal section 62. The arms 65 are interconnected by a member 66 disposed generally transversely to the arms 65. The upper surface of the member 66 extends above the upper surfaces of the arms 65. A pair of flanges 67 provided by the plate 63c extend horizontally and outwardly from the lower part of the horizontal section 62 adjacent to the end of the horizontal section 62.

The risers 60 in the present example are separate from the guide rails 29, but could be provided integral therewith if desired.

When it is desired to work on a section of track or to provide access to a track for a vehicle, an access means A according to the present invention may be provided as follows.

Firstly, a plurality of bridge parts 20 are disposed on the running rails 10 of the track T such that the foot part 21a, 21b of each bridge part 20 engages a respective rail 10. A plurality of bridge pails are provided according to the length of access means desired, and are positioned on the running rails 10 such that the foot parts 21a, 21b of adjacent bridge parts abut one another. A plurality of tunnel parts 40 is then attached to the bridge means 20 by disposing the tunnel part 40 such that the foot 43) of each tunnel part 40 engages and rests upon the sleepers 12, whilst the tunnel engagement means 45 is received in the apertures 33 on the foot parts 21b. The second supply rail 15 is thenn completely enclosed by the tunnel.

A plurality of deck panels 34 are mounted the bridge parts 20. Each deck panel 34 is disposed such that each edge part 34b rests on a bridge part 20. It will be apparent that there will be one more bridge part 20 than there are deck panels 34. The spacing of the bridge parts 20 and the size of the deck panels 34 is such that adjacent deck panels 34 abut to form a continuous surface part as shown in Figure 2.

To provide vehicular access to the access means, ramp means 50 are then provided. Ramp means 50 are disposed such that a hook part 53 of each rain element 51 is located in a corresponding aperture 33 provided on the foot part 2 1 a, or a corresponding aperture 48 provided on the flange 47 of the tunnel part 40.

The risers 60 are provided. Each riser 60 is placed on a corresponding rail 10 such that the plates 63b, 63c rest on the surface 11 of the rail 10. The linking means 64 is inserted into the corresponding guide rail 29 such that the linking means 64 engages the internal rib -3 1 of the guide rail 20.

No additional connection means is provided or required, the various components of the access means being held together either by engagement of hook and aperture means as described hereinbefore or simply held in place by gravity acting on the various components. If required or if desired, of course, additional correction means may be used.

Such an access means is relatively easy to install. The weight of each of the components, i.e. the bridge part, deck panel, tunnel part, ramp means and riser is such that each component requires at most four men to carry it, and no additional tools or connections are required. The provision of the guide rail 29 and risers 60 permit the wheels of a suitable vehicle to be located on the guide rails 29, and then for that vehicle to be driven down the risers and onto the running rails 10. Where such a vehicle is provided with suitable tyred wheels and flanged wheels in known manner, to provide access to the running rails, the vehicle may be driven on to the access means according to the present invention at an oblique angle, and then rotated to align its flanged wheel with the guide rails 29. The flanged wheels may then be lowered such that the I I flanged wheels are brought into engagement with the guide rails 29 and the flanges are received within the recesses 30.

In the present example, the length of each foot pail 21a, 21b is about 600 nim, whilst the width of each ramp element 51 is approximately 150mm, such that four ramp elements 51 are provided for each side of each bridge part 20. Each tunnel means 40 has a length of abut 1500 mm.

Thus, to provide a track access means of a length of approximately 9 metres, it would be necessary to provide fifteen bridge parts 20, fourteen deck panels 34, six tunnel parts 40, and fifteen ramp means 50 comprising a total of sixty ramp elements 51 on each side of the access means.

The access means is preferably formed from welded mild steel. The sizes of the individual components of the access means are constrained by the maximum weight liftable by four men. However, it will be apparent that any other suitable material may be used as desired and the sizes of the individual components may be varied depending on the weight of the material from which they are made.

If desired, the access means or any components described herein may be used in combination with other means as desired to provide a surface part of required extent and character. Further combinations of the access means described herein and additional means may be envisaged, in particular the access means disclosed in our co-pending application no. GB 9901130.6. Any suitable combination one or more of the components described herein can be used with or without said additional means.

It will be apparent that the access means may be used with any railway track, and not solely with a railway track having electrical supply rails.

Although it is intended that the access means be used when the first supply rail and second supply rail are isolated from an electrical supply, it may be envisaged that the access means may be provided with electrically insulating 12 means to ensure that there is no electrical contact between the access means and the supply rails.

In the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, 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 r T 13

Claims (24)

1. An access means for a rail track comprising a pair of generally parallel running rails, the access means comprising at least one bridge part received on said running rails and disposed transverse to said running rails, said bridge part supporting a surface part.

2. An access means according to Claim I wherein the surface part comprises a deck panel having an upper surface, the deck panel being removably mounted on said at least one bridge part.

3. An access means according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the access means is provided with guide rails.

4. An access means according to Claim 3) wherein the guide rails are provided on the bridge part.

5. An access means according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the guide rails are disposed generally parallel to one another and be spaced from one another by a distance generally the same as the distance between the running rails.

6. An access means according to any one of Claim to 5 wherein the surface part is shaped to provide a recess adjacent said guide rails to receive a flange of a flanged wheel mounted on said guide rails.

7. An access means according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising ramp means.

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8 An access means according to Claim 7 wherein said ramp means comprise a plurality of discrete ramp elements and connecting means flexibly connecting said ramp elements.

9. An access means according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the ramp means comprises ramp engagement means to engage said bridge part.

10. An access means according to Claim 9 wherein the ramp engagement means comprises a hook pail engageable in an aperture provided on the bridge part.

11. An access means according to any one of the preceding claims further provided with a tunnel part having a foot part, a surface part and tunnel r T engagement means to engage a pail of said bridge.

12. An access means according to Claim I I wherein the tunnel engagement a e part comprises a hook part receivable in an aperture provided on the bridge part.

13. An access means according to Claim I I or Claim 12 where dependent directly or indirectly on Claim 2 wherein the tunnel surface part is at generally the same height as the upper surface of the surface plate.

14. An access means according to any one of Claims I I to 13 wherein the tunnel part comprises an aperture to receive engagement means of a ramp means according to Claim 10.

15. An access means according to any of the preceding claims wherein a first electrical supply rail is disposed between and generally parallel to said running rails and wherein said bridge part is shaped such that the bridge part does not engage said first supply rail.

16. An access means according to any one of Claims I to 15 wherein where said rail track comprises a second electrical supply rail disposed generally parallel to and not between said running rails, said tunnel part is adapted such that, when engaged with the bridge part, said tunnel part encloses but does not engage said second supply rail.

17. An access means according to Claim 4 or any one of Claims 5 to 16 where dependent directly or indirectly on Claim 4 wherein the access means comprises at least one riser where said riser comprises an inclined guide part extending between one of said guide rails and one of said running rails.

18. An access means according to Claim 17 wherein said inclined guide part has a relatively high part at generally the same height as an upper surface of said guide rail and a relatively low part adjacent to an upper surface of said running rail.

19. An access means according to Claim 17 or Claim 18 wherein the said riser is removably engaged with said bridge part and engages a running rail.

20. An access means according to any one of Claims 17 to 19 comprise a pair of said risers, one of said risers being disposed in engagement with each of said running rails.

16

21. An access means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

22. A rail track comprising a pair of generally parallel running rails and an access means according to any one of Claims 1 to 2 1.

23. A rail track according to Claim 22 comprising one or more electrical supply rails, said one or more supply rails being bridged by said access means.

24. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.

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