MXPA00003461A

MXPA00003461A - Railway truck leveling valve arrangement for closer overall height control

Info

Publication number: MXPA00003461A
Application number: MXPA/A/2000/003461A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Richard B Polley
Original assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings
Priority date: 1997-10-07
Filing date: 2000-04-07
Publication date: 2002-07-25

Abstract

A railway truck leveling valve arrangement for improved railway car floor height control comprises a pneumatic level regulating valve (26), a rigid, lightweight bar (14), and a leveling valve linkage (12). The level regulating valve (26) is connected to and mounted above a secondary air spring suspension (30). The rigid, lightweight bar (14) extends between the axleboxes (16) of the railway truck wheelsets (19), the railway truck wheelsets (19) being coupled to a primary suspension (28). The level regulating valve linkage (12) connects the level regulating valve (26) and the rigid bar (14). The level regulating valve (26) senses spring deflection in both primary and secondary suspensions (28, 30) and signals the secondary air spring suspension (30) to compensate for both deflections. Consequently, the correction of the overall railway car floor height by the secondary suspension provides more precise car floor to station platform height control.

Description

ARRANGEMENT OF RAILWAY BOGIE LEVEL VALVE FOR NON-GLOBAL HEIGHT TIGHT CONTROL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in a general manner, to bogies (wheel unit) of railway wagons and, in particular, to air spring suspensions for railway wagon bogies. More specifically, but without being a restriction for the particular use that is shown and described, this invention relates to rail bogie leveling valves that better control the overall height of the wagons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE It is known that in passenger rail cars, especially for high-speed trains, the use of air springs absorbs vibrations and crashes of the tracks of railroad bogies in such a way that the vibrations are not very perceptible in the body of the railway car. It is also known that the air spring suspensions in the railroad bogies try to maintain a height of the floor of the car practically constant with respect to the tracks and with respect to the height of the platform of the station. The air spring suspensions try to maintain this height of the floor, constant, during a total variation of load, that is, from an empty car to a full car. A constant height of the railway floor, for example, facilitates the safest loading and unloading of passengers, especially of disabled people. U.S. Patent No. 5,588,367 issued to Scheffel shows, in general, suspensions for railroad vehicle and is incorporated herein by reference. Typically, a passenger railroad bogie has a suspension system both primary and secondary. The secondary suspension generally comprises air springs and provides most of the total equivalent spring deflection and is thus the dominant factor in determining the comfort of the passenger during the trip. The primary suspension comprises, in general, steel springs or elastomeric springs and contributes, to a lesser degree, to the comfort during the trip. The most vital function of the primary suspension is to provide adequate load balance on the wheels in such a way that the train can safely cross the uneven roads. Conventionally, the height of the air spring of the secondary suspension is controlled by a pneumatic level regulating valve which is connected to the air spring. The air spring is arranged between the side frame of the bogie and the cross member of the bogie pivot. The air springs are located on each side of the bogie and it is customary to use a level regulating valve with each of the air springs. In this way, the air springs for each bogie keep the height constant and control the height of the wagon floor above the frame of the wagon bogie. While the rail car loads or unloads passengers, the level regulating valve controls the air pressure in the air springs, according to the load of the body of the wagon, so that, as the load increases, the pressure in the air springs decreases. Similarly, while the load decreases, the air pressure in the air springs is discharged. The increase or decrease in air pressure keeps the floor height of the wagon constant above the frame of the wagon bogie. The level regulating valve that is associated with each air spring will operate independently of the other level regulating valves to admit and release air pressure from its associated spring. This independent level regulation compensates the uneven loading of the railway car laterally from the longitudinal center line of the car. This ensures that the frame of the car door is maintained at a certain level with the platform of the station, thus facilitating the safe entry and exit of passengers. While properly measuring and compensating the height of the car above the frame • of the bogie, the level regulating valve ignores the 5 smallest deflections that occur in the primary suspension as a result of the variations in the height and the uneven distribution of the weight of the wagons. That is to say, that while the secondary suspension compensates the load of the wagons to the To maintain a constant car floor height above the level of the bogie frame, conventional suspension arrangements are not considered for the deflections of the primary suspension below the level of the bogie frame. This results particularly troublesome for passenger carriages because the vertical spring deflections and the oscillation of the wagon body lead to an unequal height of the wagon floor with respect to the platform of the railway station. Under these conditions, can be dangerous when passengers board and disembark from the railroad car, especially passengers with disabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention recognizes and provides a solution for the problems of maintaining a constant floor height of the wagon between the floor of the wagon and the railway track and throughout the load variety of the wagon, ie, from a empty car to a full car. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide the correction of the overall height of the wagon floor. Another object of the present invention is to provide more precise control of the height of the wagon floor with respect to the height of the station platform. Still another object of the present invention is to measure the total spring deflection of the primary and secondary suspensions. Still another object of the invention is to measure the total spring deflection of the primary and secondary suspensions and balance both suspensions. Briefly, in summary, the present invention provides a wagon leveling valve arrangement for improved wagon floor height control comprising a pneumatic level regulating valve, a rigid bar and a leveling valve linkage. The level regulating valve is connected to a secondary suspension and mounted on it. The rigid and lightweight bar extends between the flywheels (grease boxes) of the wheel units of the bogie, the wheel units of the bogie are placed below a primary suspension. The leveling valve linkage connects to the level regulating valve and the rigid bar. As contemplated and preferred now, the level regulating valve senses spring deflection in both the primary suspension and the secondary suspension and sends signals to the secondary suspension to compensate for both deflections. Consequently, the correction of the overall height of the wagon floor by means of the secondary suspension provides more precise control of the height of the wagon floor with respect to the platform of the station. The entire range of objects, aspects and advantages of the invention are appreciated only by a complete reading of this specification and a complete understanding of the invention. Therefore, complete this specification, a detailed description of the invention and the next preferred embodiment, after a brief description of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in relation to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the following figures have the following general nature: Figure 1 is a side view of a railroad bogie of the prior art, incorporating a conventional leveling valve arrangement. Figure 2 is a side view of a leveling valve arrangement for railroad bogie of the present invention.

In the appended drawings, the reference numbers are used consistently in the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES With reference to Figure 1, a prior art railroad bogie 8 mounted on a railway track 17 is shown.

As is known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, the bogie 8 includes a hub frame 18 mounted to at least two wheel units 19. Each wheel unit 19 includes an axle 20 having axle ends mounted on respective flyers 16. The bogie frame 18 underlies and supports a pivot cross member 24 of the bogie. The bogie frame 18 and the pivot cross member 24 of the bogie are suspended above the wheel units 19 by means of a primary suspension 28. The primary suspension 28 provides load balance to the wheel to allow the car to traverse the uneven tracks. The primary suspension 28 comprises spring means for each wheel unit 19. The spring means is typically a steel or elastomeric spring located adjacent to the end of each axle 20 of each wheel assembly 19 and placed between the wheel 16 the frame of bogie 18. A car body 19 is pivoted above the cross member of the pivot 24 of the bogie and is supported by a secondary suspension 30. The secondary suspension 30, in wagons of • passenger rail, typically comprising a "air spring" positioned between each end 24 of the bogie pivot cross member and the bogie frame 18. The secondary suspension 30 not only supports the weight of the car body, but also provides comfort to the passengers, during the trip. M 10 The air springs of the secondary suspension 30 for the passenger cars are controlled by means of a pneumatic level regulating valve 10 which is connected and located above the air spring 30. The level regulating valve 10 is connected to the bogie frame 18 by means of the leveling valve linkage 12 and by this means detects the height of the air spring 30. The level regulating valve 10 controls the air pressure in the air springs according to the load of the wagon body, in such a way that, while the load of the wagon body increases, the level regulating valve consequently increases the spring pressure. In the same way, while the load of the wagon body decreases, the air pressure in the air springs decreases. This increase and decrease in air pressure results in comfort during travel for the passenger and keeps the floor of the car body at a relatively constant height above the rail bogie frame while maintaining a constant height of air spring under conditions • Static load variants. Referring to Figure 2, a preferred arrangement of the present invention of the rail bogie leveling valve is illustrated, comprising a level adjusting valve 10, a leveling valve linkage 12 and a bar or rod 14 connected between a pair of flywheels 16.

• As preferred, the bogie leveling arrangement includes the bar 14 which is preferably rigid and mounted between the swivels 16. That is, the rigid bar 14 joins the swiveling 16 of a unit of the wheel and also to the steering wheel 16 of the other wheel unit on the same side of the bogie frame. The rigid bar 14 is mounted to the flyers 16 so that the bar 14 is practically horizontal and thus, practically parallel to the horizontal plane of the track 17. Note that the rigid bar 14 may be connected to the other elements without spring of the wheel unit. The rigid bar 14 may include a telescoping sleeve device 15 for adjusting the small longitudinal relative movement between the flywheels 16 that may occur while in service. Attached perpendicular to the rigid bar 14, approximately at the midpoint of the rigid bar 14, is the leveling valve linkage 12, which couples the rigid bar 14 with the level regulating valve 10. The rail bogie leveling arrangement can be mounted on each side of a railroad bogie. Alternatively, there can be only one leveling arrangement to control both air springs of a specific bogie. In operation, while the car receives varying degrees of passenger load and the load is distributed in random patterns on the floor of the car, the primary and secondary bogie suspensions react by deflection at each location in proportion to the load supported at that corner of the car. wagon. This, in turn, causes either wagon body oscillation or uneven height of the wagon floor with respect to the platform of the railway station, or both. The result is vertical misalignment between the frame of the car door and the station platform. The rigid bar 14 which is attached to the swivels 16 of the wheel units 19. The leveling valve link 12 in turn, transmits this vertical movement to the level regulating valve 10, which detects the amount of vertical deflection in the rigid rod 14, which corresponds directly to the total vertical deflection in the primary suspension 28 and in the secondary suspension 30. The level regulating valve 10 can then adjust the air pressure in the air springs of the secondary suspension 30 for • compensate for the total deflection incurred by the primary suspension 28 and the secondary suspension 30 caused by the variant and unbalanced load. Consequently, the floor height of the wagon body wagon is better controlled because both the deflection in the primary suspension and in the secondary suspension are compensated. • In essence, the level regulating valve 10 detects both the spring deflection of the secondary air spring and the spring deflection of the steel or primary elastomer springs by means of of the bar 14 which is mounted between the flyers 16 and sends signals to the secondary suspension 30 to correct the total deflection, thereby correcting the floor height of the rail car. • The modalities are now described Preferred embodiments of the invention to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice and use them. Variations of the preferred embodiment are possible without being outside the scope of the present invention. Therefore, for to indicate in a particular way and to clearly claim the matter considered as the invention, the following claims conclude the specification.

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following 5 CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A railroad bogie leveling valve arrangement for improved height control of the wagon, comprising: a level regulating valve which is connected to a secondary suspension, • a bar connected between a pair of railway bogie wheel units, the bogie wheel units are placed below a primary suspension , and a bulldozer valve linkage connecting to the level regulating valve and the bar, whereby the level regulating valve detects the deflection in both the primary suspension and the secondary suspension and signals the secondary suspension so that compensate both deflections, correcting with this the height of the railway car.
2. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the secondary suspension is an air spring for supporting a rail car body and is mounted between a bogie frame and a cross member of the bogie pivot. .
3. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the primary suspension is a spring • elastomeric placed between a bogie frame of 5 rail and a flyer of the bogie wheel unit to provide load balance to the wheel and shock absorption of forces caused by the passage of the car on the uneven track.
4. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, in • where the primary suspension is a steel spring placed between a railroad bogie frame and a bogie unit flywheel to provide load balance in the wheel and shock absorption 15 of forces caused by the passage of the railcar over the track uneven.
5. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the level regulating valve is a valve 20 leveling pneumatic and is mounted above the secondary suspension.
6. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bar is rigid and is connected between the 25 volanders of the pair of wheel units. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bar is connected between non-spring elements of the pair of wheel units. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the bar includes a telescopic device for adjusting small longitudinal movements that may occur between the connected flywheels. 9. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement for improved control of rail car height, comprising: a pneumatic level regulating valve that is connected to a secondary suspension and above it, a bar connected to a pair of railway bogie flywheels, bogie flywheels are placed below a primary suspension, and linkage means to connect the level regulator valve and the bar, whereby the pneumatic level regulator valve detects the deflection in both the primary suspension as in the secondary suspension and sends signals to the secondary suspension to compensate both deflections, correcting with this the height of the rail car. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the secondary suspension is an air spring for supporting a rail car body to provide passenger comfort during travel and which is mounted between a rail frame. Bogie and a bogie pivot naughty. 11. The rail bogie bulldozer valve arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the primary suspension is an elastomeric spring positioned between a railroad bogie frame and a flywheel to provide load balancing on the wheel and absorption of the wheel. 10 shock of the forces caused by the passage of the car on the uneven road. 12. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the primary suspension is a steel spring. 15 placed between a railroad bogie frame and the flywheel to provide load balance in the wheel and shock absorption of the forces caused by the passage of the car on the uneven track. 13. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the bar is rigid. 14. The rail bogie leveling valve arrangement according to claim 6, in 25 where the bar includes a telescopic device to adjust small longitudinal movements that could occur between the connected flywheels. 15. A suspension arrangement for railroad vehicle to level the railroad car, which includes a primary suspension and a secondary suspension, the primary suspension includes means of • primary spring to provide wheel load balance, the secondary suspension includes an air spring to support a rail car body, the improvement comprises: a rigid rod mounted between a pair of bogie wings and connected to them , the pair 10 of bogie flywheels is mounted to a couple of • bogie wheel units, the primary suspension is placed between the pair of bogie flywheels and a bogie frame that is suspended over the pair of bogie wheel units to provide 15 shock absorption of the forces created by the railroad vehicle when passing over uneven railway tracks, a level regulating valve that is • Operationally connected to the secondary suspension, 20 and a leveling valve linkage connected between the level regulating valve and the rigid bar, whereby the level regulating valve 25 detects both the deflection of the air spring of the secondary suspension and the deflection of the primary spring means of the primary suspension by means of the leveling valve linkage connected to the rigid bar that is mounted between the flywheels and sends signals to the secondary suspension to correct the total deflection, correcting with this, the • height of the rail car. 16. The railroad bogie according to claim 15, wherein the level regulating valve is a pneumatic leveling valve and is mounted above the secondary suspension. 1
7. The railroad bogie according to claim 15, wherein the primary spring means is an elastomeric spring. 1
8. The railroad bogie according to claim 15, wherein the primary spring means is a steel spring. 1
9. The railroad bogie according to claim 15, wherein the secondary suspension is mounted between the railroad bogie frame and a crossbar of the railroad bogie pivot. 20. A railroad bogie including a bogie frame mounted on at least two wheel units coupled together by means of the bogie frame, each wheel unit having an axle having axle ends mounted on respective flywheels, In a bogie pivot cross member having bogie pivot cross member ends, the bogie pivot cross member is supported by the bogie frame, and comprising: a primary suspension to provide balance for the load on the wheel, comprising an elastomeric spring for each wheel unit • located adjacent to each axle end of each wheel unit and placed between the bladder and the bogie frame, a secondary suspension for supporting a rail car body comprising an air spring positioned between each end of the bogie bogie pivot and bogie frame, • a pneumatic level regulating valve placed above the secondary suspension, a rigid bar mounted between the steering wheel of one of the wheel units of the steering wheel of the other wheel units, and a leveling valve linkage that couples the rigid bar with the level regulating valve, whereby, the level regulating valve 20 detects both the deflection of the air spring of the secondary suspension and the deflection of the elastomeric spring of the primary suspension, by means of the rigid bar mounted between the flywheels and sends signals to the secondary suspension to correct the total deflection, correcting with this the height of the railway car. 21. The railroad bogie according to claim 20, wherein the rigid bar further comprises a telescopic sleeve device for adjusting small longitudinal movements between the flywheels. 22. The railroad bogie according to claim 20, wherein the primary suspension comprises a steel spring.