RU2297934C1 - Transport system "metrobus" - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to transport systems with fixed trajectory of movement. Proposed transport system includes running path with set of rolling planes and vehicle with automobile-type main paired wheels and auxiliary guide wheels. Running path is essentially two mirror symmetrical concrete members in form of semitrapezium in profile with inclined part outwards from vertical plane of symmetry. Inner sides of concrete members are provided with metal cover plates for auxiliary wheels. Auxiliary wheels are made of metal, are installed with tilting inwards relative to running path and are provided with flanges from inner side.

EFFECT: provision of advantages of rail and road vehicles in new type of city conveyance.

3 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to transport mechanisms with a fixed (predetermined) trajectory and can be used as a new type of public transport, mainly in cities with a population of up to 1 million people.

As you know, rail vehicles (tram, metro) are still indispensable, especially in large cities. However, the movement of any traditional rail vehicle is accompanied by significant noise and vibration, the reason for which lies in the “hard” contact of the wheelsets with the rails both vertically and horizontally. All attempts to reduce noise turned out to be ineffective, since increased elasticity in the contact zone leads to instability of the wheelsets - the risk of an accident increases.

On the other hand, the relatively low-noise trolleybus today moves in a dense stream of cars and creates a tense situation on the roadway due to its low maneuverability. In some countries, attempts are being made to isolate the trolleybus (bus) from the general traffic stream by providing separate lanes, but this method should be recognized as very "costly" (especially in Russia - a country with a sharply continental climate). In addition, the trolleybus is inferior to the tram and subway in the "peak" capacity, since it cannot be made as a composite, multi-sectional like a train. The reason is the characteristic “buildup” (or skidding) of the trailer part. Back in the 60s. XX. at. the concept of an “autotram” was put forward, moving along a guide cable buried in the roadway, however, it was the horizontal mechanical instability of the composition that led many times to the failure of such an attractive idea.

There is a third type of urban public transport - the so-called. "monorail". The indicated term designates a fairly wide class of transport devices moving along special running tracks (usually performed in the form of a flyover). The most significant difference between monorail vehicles is the presence of additional wheels or rollers rolling along separate “tracks” (rolling planes).

The presence of additional wheels allows for guaranteed stability of the vehicle during operation. However, the main advantage of the “monorail” also becomes its main disadvantage - the monorail track cannot be located directly on the surface of the earth, since it is a three-dimensional structure 1-1.5 m high and 0.5-1 m wide.

ANALOGUE. Consider the traditional monorail transport system described in US Pat. RF №2.158.211 (IPC В61В 13/04, bull. No. 30 for 2000). The vehicle has 3 groups of wheels or rollers:

double supporting (running), as well as upper and lower lateral pairs, spaced about 1 m apart along the height of the beam (track). The beam itself is made of concrete with a linear mass of about 1 t / m. Even in the drawings it is noticeable that the traditional monorail crew is unaesthetic and visually bulky (full height - up to 3.5 m). In addition, with a significant linear mass, the track is actually a bridge tens of kilometers long and has a corresponding cost. It is the high cost of track structures with a relatively low throughput that makes the "monorail" unprofitable in comparison with the "classic" metro, which has a throughput of 50 thousand passengers per hour. Finally, the massive and bulky overpass poorly fits into the existing landscape, especially in the historical part of the city due to the apparent mismatch of structures from different eras.

PROTOTYPE. Recently, attempts have been made to “compactize” a monorail vehicle, as well as to somewhat facilitate and even “aesthetize” the overpass route. The prototype here is the experimental transport system described in US Pat. RF №2.167.403 (IPC 7 G01M 17/08, bull. No. 14/2001). A vehicle with a width of about 2 m is equipped with paired support (running) wheels of an automobile type, the axle length being comparable with the diameter of the wheels (about 1 m, see Figs. 12 and 13 in the description of the prototype). Two pairs of auxiliary wheels of a smaller diameter are located under the protrusions of the running track and are arranged mutually perpendicularly, which made it possible to reduce the total height of the vehicle by about 1 m compared to the analogue. In fact, there is a move away from the “monorail” principle, because a noticeable spacing of the support wheels (pos. 24 in Fig. 13) makes the crew a kind of trolleybus. However, the main drawback of all "monorails" - incompatibility with ordinary street traffic - the prototype remained. There was also an expensive massive overpass as the main element of the transport system. One more drawback can be noted, namely the weak adhesion of the main (running) wheels to the smooth surface of the metal beam, especially in the presence of a layer of water or ice (in winter).

The next step is obvious - expanding the “gauge” to the standard one (about 1.5 m), which will increase the angular stability of the vehicle and allow you to abandon the angular stabilization rollers (key 26 in Fig. 13). It is clear that the recommended “evolution” makes the box profile (pos. 10, 12) unnecessary, which logically splits into two parallel beams of the I-beam (or other) profile and turns into a kind of railway running track.

The solution proposed by the authors of patent No. 2.167.403 is definitely a compromise, “intermediate”, since the design of the track is very far from optimal. The location of the auxiliary wheels under the protrusions of the running track makes the vehicle “non-removable”, which seriously complicates the operation of the entire system with heavy traffic. In addition, when dividing the running track into two parallel elements, auxiliary wheels are much more convenient to place on the inside of the “rails” than on the outside. Finally, the “rails” do not have to be metal at all - concrete is much better suited to rubberized wheels. But since concrete blocks cannot be made and laid with high accuracy at once in two coordinates (vertical and horizontal), the idea of a combined concrete-metal running track, in which the concrete rolling planes are supporting (running), while the metal planes rolling perform the role of guides.

It is interesting to note that back in the 40s. UK companies produced the Land Rover all-terrain vehicle, capable of independently moving directly on railway rails, for which the car was equipped with lifting wheelsets of the railway type at the front and rear, and the main rubber wheels were used as drive wheels. However, it quickly became clear that such a simple solution is inefficient. If a more significant load fell on the metal wheels - they perfectly "kept their way", but at the same time there was a strong slipping of the "underloaded" rubber wheels. If the load was transferred to rubber wheels, then the metal wheels easily jumped off the rails. Since no optimal solution was found for a standard railway track, the tests stopped. Hence it is quite obvious that for “combined” wheeled crews, a special combined running path with rolling planes located in section at a certain angle to each other is necessary (for traditional “monorails” the angle is 90). The very idea has a right to life, since all existing types of ground ("street") urban public transport can not be radically improved.

So, the objective of the present invention is to develop a combined type of track and vehicle, which combines the advantages of both rail and rail vehicles. The technical result of the invention is the creation of a new type of urban public transport, in the economic sense of the alternative to the "classic" metro, but with the same set of operational and consumer advantages.

The task according to claim 1 is achieved due to the features common with the prototype - such as a roadway with a set of rolling surfaces and a vehicle with main and auxiliary wheels, as well as due to distinctive, essential features - the roadway is two mirror-symmetric concrete elements having a half-trapezoid shape in the profile with an inclined part outward from the vertical plane of symmetry, while the inner sides of the concrete elements are provided with metal plates on which are located The rolling surfaces of the auxiliary wheels, and the auxiliary wheels themselves are made of metal, are installed with an inclination inside the running track and have flanges on the inside.

Paragraph 2 of the formula reflects the design features of the metal plates, which are vertical stripes having a diamond-shaped section at the upper edge of the bulge with an inclination angle of 45 faces, while the lower edges of the auxiliary wheels flanges are under the bulge edges, and the distance from the vertical plane of symmetry of the track to the lower edge of the flange exceeds the distance from the vertical plane of symmetry to the edge of the thickening.

Paragraph 3 of the formula reflects the peculiarity of the attachment of auxiliary wheels, namely, the wheels are mounted in pairs on separate frames that can be vertically displaced relative to the vehicle body, while the wheels themselves can only be displaced relative to the frame in a direction perpendicular to the rolling plane.

Patent studies have shown that no solutions having features similar to the distinguishing features of the present invention have been identified, which gives the right to judge the materiality of the differences between these signs, and the totality of all the signs gives the invention new properties - compatibility with ordinary street traffic at intersections.

The above signs make it possible to ensure comfortable transportation of a significant number of passengers in settlements for which the “classic” metro is economically disadvantageous (from 200 thousand to 1 million people)

The above distinguishing features, each individually and all together, are aimed at solving the problem and are significant.

The use of significant distinguishing features in the prior art is not found, therefore, the proposed technical solution meets the patentability criterion of "novelty." A single set of new essential features with common, well-known provides a solution to the problem, is not obvious to specialists in this field of technology and indicates that the claimed technical solution meets the patentability criterion of "inventive step".

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, which reflect the significant differences of the proposed technical solution, and all standard parts (axles, fasteners, etc.) are omitted for clarity. Figure 1 shows an exemplary cross-sectional view of one of the two mirror-symmetric halves of the track and the arrangement of the wheels of the vehicle, while figure 2 reflects the general principle of suspension of metal auxiliary wheels relative to the vehicle body.

The positions denote: 1 - profiled concrete element of the track, 2 - the main wheel of the automobile type, 3 - auxiliary metal wheel of the railway type with a flange 5, 4 - metal plate with a thickening 6. Item 7 in figure 1 indicates the approximate level of the roadway on sections of the intersection of the track with the usual road network (similar to tram tracks). In Fig.2 pos.8 - the vehicle body, 9 - frame, 10 and 11 - single-axis suspension.

The most important difference from the prototype is the absence of angular stabilization rollers, the role of which are the flanges 5. During the “regular” movement of the vehicle, all the suspensions (10, 11) are loaded approximately the same, as a result of which the auxiliary metal wheels 3 are shifted towards the vertical plane of symmetry, those. their "track" is somewhat narrower than the base. Therefore, there is a certain gap between the flanges 5 and the edges of the bulges 6. For ordinary railway wheelsets, this rolling mode is highly undesirable, since it is accompanied by intense transverse “runouts” and can lead to an accident. However, here the lateral stabilization of the vehicle is due to the "soft", spring-loaded interaction of the inclined wheels 3 with the inclined rolling surfaces. Of course, without the supporting function of the main wheels 2, it is impossible to implement a “soft” rolling mode for the auxiliary metal wheels 3, which is the main idea of the present invention. When passing a curved section of the path, one of the auxiliary wheels is “unloaded” due to centrifugal forces, as a result of which its flange goes even deeper under the edge of the thickening 6 and an additional force appears that counteracts the rollover of the vehicle. Thus, the friction between the flange and the "rail" 4-6 occurs exclusively when passing curved sections, and the wear rate of the rubbing elements depends only on the speed of the vehicle. Depreciation of the usual tramway is almost independent of the speed (usually low).

The proposed precast concrete-metal running track has a number of additional advantages. In curved sections, concrete elements 1 may well form a broken line, and smoothly curved metal plates 4 are attached through special “calibration” gaskets of different thicknesses. Further, in case of wear or increased deformation of the metal lining, it can be replaced without completely removing the roadway, even at the intersection (special fasteners).

The only drawback of the proposed transport system is the lack of railroad type switches. This disadvantage is inherent in all "monorails" and, in general, is hardly a serious obstacle to their mass application, but it requires additional technical solutions. So, usually the monorail arrow is a part of the running track that rotates or moves relative to other parts, sometimes together with the vehicle. It is interesting to note that in the era of steam traction, steam locomotives (the turntable) "oriented" in exactly this way. The second option is to “take off” the vehicle from the running track and move it using external devices (in a similar way, wheel sets of wagons are changed at different track widths). In addition, in the subway system, trains move in a given direction and their routes never intersect in the same plane. It is due to the special "conveyor" mode of movement that the metro provides huge bandwidth. With this in mind, the author suggests the name Metrobus for the overpass transportation system. It should be emphasized that electric traction is not necessary here at all - both a multi-section “trolleybus” and a multi-section “bus” with an environmentally friendly internal combustion engine can move along a combined running path. The latter option is most interesting in the suburban area and with a large length of the route. In fact, the present invention is the implementation of the old idea of the "tram", which was mentioned above.

Claims (3)

1. The transport system, including the track with a set of rolling planes and the vehicle with the main pair of wheels of an automobile type, as well as auxiliary steering wheels, characterized in that the track is two mirror-symmetric concrete elements having a half-line shape in the profile of the inclined part outward from the vertical plane of symmetry, while the inner sides of the concrete elements are equipped with metal plates on which the auxiliary wheels are located, and in auxiliary wheels are made of metal, mounted with an inclination inward of the running track and have flanges on the inside. 2. The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal plates are vertical stripes having a diamond-shaped section at the top edge of the bulge with an angle of inclination of the faces of 45 °, while the edges of the flanges of the auxiliary wheels are under the edges of the bulges, and the distance from the vertical plane the symmetry of the track to the lower edge of the flange exceeds the distance from the vertical plane of symmetry to the edge of the thickening. 3. The transport system according to claim 2, characterized in that the auxiliary metal wheels are mounted in pairs on separate frames having the possibility of vertical displacement relative to the vehicle body, while the wheels themselves can only be displaced relative to the frame in a direction perpendicular to the rolling plane.

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