US3889603A

US3889603A - Double loop track system for railway freightyard and freight station

Info

Publication number: US3889603A
Application number: US496284A
Authority: US
Inventors: Minoru Harada
Original assignee: Japan National Railways
Current assignee: Japan National Railways
Priority date: 1973-08-20
Filing date: 1974-08-08
Publication date: 1975-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1992-06-17
Also published as: DE2439936B2; FR2241435B1; FR2241435A1; DE2439936A1; JPS537685B2; JPS5041206A; DE2439936C3

Abstract

A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station, having an arrival line connected to main lines which receive arriving trains, a departure line connected to the main lines which allow departure of made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line, a plurality of sorting lines connected to the divergent loop track, each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extending in a diverging direction therefrom. The ends of the sorting lines in the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system are coupled to the convergent loop track, so that when railway cars, received on the arrival lines, are pushed toward the divergent loop track, the cars can be switched along the divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriate sidings of the sorting lines and then connected successively in the desired order in a train along the convergent loop track to the departure line.

Description

1 June 17, 1975 O United States Patent 11 1 Harada DOUBLE LOOP TRACK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY FREIGHTYARD AND FREIGHT STATION [75] Inventor: Minoru Harada, Zushi, Japan [73] Assignee: Japanese National Railways, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No: 496,284

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 20, 1974 Japan 49 92426 [52] 0.8. CI 104/26 R; 104/29 [51] Int. Cl B6lb 1/00 [58] Field of Search 104/26 R, 26 B, 27, 29

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,280,144 10/1918 Bonner 14 104/29 1,387.863 8/1921 Otis 1,675,027 6/1928 Grady 104/26 R as i Primary Examiner-Mt Henson Wood, .lr. Assistant Examiner-Randolph A. Reese Attorney, Agent, or FirmWenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station, having an arrival line connected to main lines which receive arriving trains, a departure line connected to the main lines which allow departure of made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line. a plurality of sorting lines connected to the divergent loop track each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extending in a diverging direction therefrom. The ends of the sorting lines in the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system are coupled to the convergent loop track, so that when railway cars, received on the arrival lines, are pushed toward the divergent loop track, the cars can be switched along the divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriate sidings of the sorting lines and then connected successively in the desired order in a train along the convergent loop track to the departure line.

SHEET PATENTEDJIJN l 7 I975 FIG. 2(a) msmcnm 17 m5 3 889.6 03

SHEET 5 FIG. 3 (a) FIG.3 (b) PATENTEDJUN 17 ms SHEET now 3w DOUBLE LOOP TRACK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY FREIGIITYARD AND FREIGHT STATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The railway car breakup-sorting operation at a railway freightyard and freight station has conventionally been executed as described later in connection with FIG. 1.

According to the conventional method. the cars to be shunted are sorted out onto appropriate sidings. held on these sidings until a specified number have been accumulated, then specified cars are picked out of several sidings by an engine for transferring them, and by uncoupling and coupling. formed a train. This cycle of cars being hauled out by a shunting engine and coupled has to be repeated. and accordingly valuable time and manpower are wasted in the operation. resulting in a very poor efficiency of work.

In view of these disadvantages inherent in the present railway car sorting operation at a railway freightyard and freight station. the primary object of the present invention is to provide a double-loop track system. in which the cars can be easily sorted out while running along double-loop track system continuously in a single direction. thereby eliminating the waste in the conventional. discontinuous shunting operation which is a repetition of the cycle of cars being hauled out by a shunting engine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The track system according to the present invention consists of a divergent loop track connected to the arrival lines and a convergent loop track connected to the departure lines. A number of sorting sidings branch off from said divergent loop track. The ends in the railway car-moving direction of said sorting sidings are connected to said convergent loop track. One or several of the cars in a train on the arrival lines are cut out and rolled along said divergent loop track. In this process of rolling. the cars are sorted out onto appropriate sorting sidings arranged along said divergent loop track and combined with other cars which have already been sorted onto the sidings. and thereafter they are rolled off the other ends of the sidings and attached successively on said convergent loop track and then directed therefrom to specified tracks of the departure lines.

In the present invention it is desirable to install a subloop track for removal of cars from an arriving train, which sub-loop track branches off at one point from said divergent loop track and connects to another point of said divergent loop track.

Further it is desirable that the sorting sidings include one for brake-vans. one for specified cars and one for common cars; and if necessary an automatic multistage make-break line can be laid out.

For the practical application of the present invention to a railway freightyard. it would be preferable to provide two track systems according to the present invention and one arrival line for common use.

For practical application of the present invention to a freight station, it would be desirable to provide an additional truck system with such an arrangement that the end in the car-moving direction of each group of sorting sidings in the track system of the present invention is connected to another divergent loop track. from which a number of sorting sidings branch out. and these sidings lead to the departure line via another convergent loop track.

Other objects. features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view illustrating a railway carshunting track layout in a conventional freightyard;

FIG. 2a is a plan view showing the basic constitution of the track system of the present invention;

FIG. 2b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a.-

FIG. 2c is a plan view explaining the function of the automatic multistage make-break line in the prior art;

FIG. 2d is a perspective view illustrating the layout of a conventional screw-booster to be employed in the present invention;

FIG. 2e is a front elevation of the screw-booster of FIG. 2d;

FIG. 2f is a sectional view taken along the line Zf-Zf of FIG. 2e;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing the relation be tween said screw-booster and a car wheel when a car is boosted by said screw-booster;

FIG. 3a is a plan view illustrating a second embodi' ment of the present invention;

FIG. 3b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 30;

FIG. 4a is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4b is a plan view schematically showing the track layout in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 40.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I illustrates a conventional layout of railway car-shunting lines at a railway freightyard.

In FIG. 1, an arrival or incoming line is at I. The engine hauling the train arriving on the arrival line I is uncoupled at the switch 3 and diverted along track 2; and the remaining cars to be shunted are introduced onto the tract 6' at the switch 3'.

The cars to be shunted are cut and rolled one after another or in groups and in accordance with the labels carried on them. they are sorted out at the

switches

5 or 6 onto the sorting siding 7 or 8, where, depending on the destination of the cars. the switches 9-16, 17-26 are appropriately turned and the cars. brake-vans or specified cars going in the same direction are respectively sorted onto the sorting sidings 7a-7i and 8a-8i. The turning of the switches at these points is usually controlled as follows.

The destination labels of the cars arriving on one track in the arrival line 1 are detected before the switching operation at the control center 4. Thereby the route of the first car to be shunted is set. If the route of the first ear is set to send it to the sorting siding 7b, the switch in the branch line 5 is turned to the left in the travelling direction and the one in the branch line 9' at the sorting siding 7b is turned to the right. When the first car clears the track circuit for the branch line 9', the clear" signal is sent to the control center and thereupon the switches necessary for establishment of the route for the second care are turned.

in this way each sorting track receives cars for the same destination or the same direction. Usually, however. brake-vans, specified cars and cars to be trans ferred again are placed on a separate track. For instance, suppose in FIG. 1 the siding 7t is intended for reception of brake-vans; the siding 7ffor specified cars; and siding 7g for cars to be transferred again. Then the brake-vans go to siding 7c; the specified cars go to siding 7f; the cars to be transferred again go to siding 7g. The term brake-van" as used herein is intended to describe a vehicle, such as a caboose, on which the train conductor sits to perform his duty; in a train, usually it is coupled at the head or at the tail end. The term "specified carmeans one the position of which in the makeup of train is specified ahead of time. The term car to be transferred means one which has to be temporarily held on another siding, when the proper siding is so full of cars already directed onto it that it can hold no more cars.

Arriving cars are thus sorted out onto appropriate sidings. However, some trains. such as local trains, have to be formed such that each train is formed with the ears thereof arranged not only in a group going in the same direction but also in good order from the departure station to ultimate destination. Therefore, when such local trains are to be formed. for the purpose of rearranging the cars, say, on the sorting siding 7a in good order from departure to destination, a shunting engine is sent from the engine pool 48 via the switches 45-27 to the siding 7a to haul out these cars; which are then moved via the switch 50 to the conventional automatic multistage make-break lines 43, where they are rearranged and therefrom returned to the siding 49.

When a partially formed train is to have a brake-van or specified cars coupled to the cars sorted on a sorting siding, this is done as follows. In the following description the brake-van is to be coupled at the tail end of the train. and the specified car is to be positioned between a group A of cars at the head and a group B behind. The specified car sorting siding 7] is assumed to have a number of specified cars thereon and the brake-van sorting siding 7e is assumed to have a bralte-van thereon.

To achieve this, the shunting engine is sent via the

switches

45, 311 and to the brake-van siding 7e, to haul out the brake-van. Then with the brake-van coupled thereto, the engine goes into the siding 7b, where it connects said brake-van to the head car in the group B on said siding. Leaving the brake-van and group B, it then goes into the specified car sorting siding 7g to haul out the specified cars to be coupled and provisionally leave said specified cars at the foremost end of 7g. The engine then goes back to siding 7b and picks up the said 8 group of cars and the brake-van out of siding 7b and couples it to and hauls out said specified cars provisionally left on siding 7g. couples it to the A block of cars on the siding 7a, and thereby forms the train. The engine transports the thus made up train of cars to a specified track of the departure line 49 through. say. the

switches

27, 27', 28, 29, 30, and 485. Concurrently, in FIG. 1. 31-34, 35-41. 44-47, -54, 481-486, 491-499 are switches.

As described above the conventional shunting of cars at a railway freightyard is a discontinuous operation. with cars being repeatedly coupled to and hauled out by and uncoupled from a shunting engine; and accord- 4 ingly train formation takes considerable time and labor, resulting in poor efficiency in making up a train.

Referring to FIGS. 20-1), :1 full description of the present invention will be given.

In FIGS. 2a and 2h, main lines are shown at and 56; an arrival line is shown at 57: a divergent loop is shown at 62; a convergent loop track is shown at 66 and a sub-loop track 68 extends from the divergent loop track to the arrival end of the arrival line 57. Each track. although represented in the drawing as a single line. is actually a normal track composed of two rails laid at a specified spacing. The main line 56 is connected via the

switches

75, 76 and 77 to the arrival line 57. The arrival line 57 consists of a number of parallel tracks 571-577 and connected via the switches 571a-577a. The arrival line 57 is connected to the divergent loop track 62 at switch 78.

From the right half of the divergent loop track in FIG. 2a branch out at the

switches

78, 79, 81 and 82 the groups of sorting

sidings

58, 59, and 61. The groups of sorting

sidings

58, 59, 60 and 61 each consist of a plurality of sorting sidings, i.e., a brake-van siding, a specified car siding, and a common car siding.

These sidings can be provided as automatic multistage make-break lines 92-95, which have the same as the simiiar lines 42 and 43 in FIG. 1', they can easily break up a train of cars and make them up into a new train with the cars arranged in the order of destination, when these cars reach the sorting sidings in the random order.

The composition and function of the automatic multistage make-break lines can be simply described, and reference is made to FIG. 2c.

In FIG, 20, 582 corresponds to the sorting siding in FIG. 2a. The main line of this sorting siding 582 branches out right and left in the car-moving direction respectively at 92a, 92b and 92c; and the branch lines are connected at one point 92h in the car-moving direction of said main sorting line 582 respectively via the siding 582C and 582d. The siding 582(' is divided into three parts by

points

92d and 92e, and in FIG. 2c the left extreme part is designated section 1, the middle part section II and the right extreme part section III. The siding 582d is divided into three parts by the points 92f and 92g and the left part is designated section IV, the middle part section V and the right part section VI.

Now suppose cars carrying the labels in the

order

1, 4, 7, 9, 6, 5,8, 2, 3, are diverted to the automatic multistage malte-break line 92 of the sorting line 582 shown in PEG. 2r. These cars are to be rearranged in the normal order 1-9, utilizing said automatic multistage make-break line 92. First, from the cars arranged in the order of l, 4. 7, 9, 6, 5, 8, 2, 3, the numbers are taken in ascending order from left to right and the cars are grouped in the following five series: 1, 2, 3, (first group); 4, 5, (second group); 6 (third group); 7, 8, (fourth group); and 9 (fifth group).

Then the switches are turned so that the first group is directed to go to section I, the second group to section ll, the third group to section Ill, the fourth group to section IV and the fifth group to section V. Thus the car 1 reaches section I via

switches

92c and 92e and is halted by the bumper S Next, the car 4 is sent to section ll via the

switches

92b and 92d; it is halted by the bumper S Similarly. the car 7 is directed to section IV. car 9 to section V, car 6 to section III. car 5 to section ll, car

Following this breakup, the bumpers S 5,, are turned down by, say, a hydraulic means of the prior art, and the cars on the siding 582v are pushed out in the direction of the arrows via the point 92):, by, say, a screw-booster to be described later. Then the cars on the siding 582d are pushed out in the same direction. In this way the cars can be rearranged into a train with the cars coupled in the order l-9. This process of rearrangement can be done, no matter how random the order of cars to be sorted on the sidings.

The ends of the sorting lines 58, 59, 60 and 61 are connected through

respective switches

586b, 88, 89 and 90 to the convergent loop track 66. The convergent loop track 66 leads to the departure line 64. The departure line 64 consists ofa number of parallel tracks 641-646. Said departure line 64 is connected via the switches 64112-64611 to the

main lines

55, 56 by branch off points 91, 70 and 74. From the point 84 of the divergent loop track the sub-loop track 68 for pushout of arriving cars branches out, Said sub-loop track 68 leads via the shunting engine pool 65 and the switch 77 to the arrival line 57. The shunting engine pool 65 consists of a number of parallel tracks 651-655. The divergent loop track 62 is further connected at the

points

85 and 86 on its left half with the empty car pool 63. The empty car pool 63 consists of a number of parallel tracks 631-636.

In FIG. 2a, 57lu-577a, 571b-577b are the switches of the arrival line 57', 581a-586a and 58112-586!) are those for the sorting line 58', 59la-596a and 591b-596b are those for the sorting line 59', 60la-606a and 601b-606b are those for the sorting line 60; 6110-6160 and 611b-616b are those for the sorting line 61; 631(1-6360 are those for the empty car pool 63; 65111-6550 and 65lb-655b are those for the shunting engine pool 65; and 641a646a and 64119-64611 are those for the departure line 64. 71 is a branch off point and 69 is the control center.

With this arrangement, the shunting operation according to the present invention of a train which has passes from the main line 56 via the

switches

75 and 76 to the track 571 of the arrival line 57 will be described,

After the train reaches the track 571, an engine staying on, say, the track 651 of the shunting engine pool 65 is to be used. Said engine runs via the point 651!) in the direction of arrow 0 on the track 68 and, reaching the track 571 via the switch 77, it is coupled to the tail end of the arrived train on track 571. Then said engine pushes the train from behind, In this case switches 78, 79, 81 and 82 are turned as follows.

The labels of the cars constituting the arriving train are detected at the time of arrival in order from the frontmost car to the hindmost car.

Assume that

sidings

581, 591. 601 and 611 in the sorting lines 58, 59, 60 and 61 are brake-van sidings: and

sidings

582, 592. 602 and 612 are specified car sidings; and other sidings in the sorting line 58. 59, 60 and 61 are common sidings; and on each siding except said brake-van sidings the automatic multistage make-break lines 92-95 of the prior art are provided. The first car in the arriving train is to be directed onto the siding 592, the second one onto the siding 602.

The information on the car number causes the control center to turn the switch 78 to the right in the travelling direction, switches 79 and 5910 to the left and switch 5920 to the right before the first car is pushed out of the arrival track.

Thereupon the shunting engine pushes the first car out in the direction of arrow b, and it then goes via the switches 79 and 592a to the sorting siding 592. an electric track circuit of a relatively short length is formed at the points where the

switches

78, 79 and 591a and 592a are located. Therefore, when the car moves into said track circuit. the car wheels pass over the rails forming the track circuit; whereby the circuit is shorted and a track relay, such as is common in the prior art. drops, indicating the entry of the car into the circuit. When the car leaves the track circuit, the shorting by the car wheels is ended and the track relay pick up, indicating that the circuit has been cleared by the car. in this the control center 69 receives the information every time a car has moved out of the track circuit at the points 78-592a. Thereupon the control center 69 turns the corresponding switches to set a route for the next car, that is, in accordance with the information on the order of the cars it sets the route for the second car by turning

switches

78 and 79 to the right, swtiches 81 and 601a to the left and switch 602a to the rig Then the engines pushes the second car out which enters the sorting track 602 via the switches 78-81, 601a and 60211.

When the second car clears the track circuit at the points 78-6020 the points 78-602a are turned to set the route for the third car by the control center 69.

in this manner, the arriving cars are successively sorted onto the appropriate sidings. An empty car, if any, is sent in the same as above to an appropriate track, say 632 of the empty car pool 63 by the switches, say 78-84 being turned to right, switch 85 to left and switch 632a to left by the control center 69. Any cars which cannot enter the right track, on account its being full, is temporarily transferred to the shunting engine pool by the switch 84 and, say, switches 651a and 65117 being turned to the proper positions, and it is trans ferred later to any track of the arrival line 57 via the sub-loop track 68, ready for the next sorting.

Thus, all arriving cars can be successively sorted onto appropriate siding; and the automatic multistage makebreak lines 92-95, which are provided if necessary, will rearrange them in the right order into a train to be made up. Namely, the

sidings

581, 591, 601 and 611 usually hold one brake-van; the

sidings

581, 592, 602 and 612 usually hold a number of specified cars; and the sidings 583-586, 593-596, 603-606 and 613-616 usually hold a number of common cars. Usually the cars for the same destination or the same direction are sorted onto appropriate sidings of the sorting lines 58, 59. 60 and 61.

When each siding is to a certain extent full of cars. the cars on these sidings are moved to the departure line 64. This process according to the present invention will be described for the case of cars on the sorting line 58 being moved to the departure track 641 of the departure line 64.

The sorting line 58 holds cars going in the same direction sorted in the order of destinations. Namely, the siding 581 holds a brake-van; the siding 582 holds a number of specified cars; and the sidings 583586 hold common cars. The sorted cars are memorized by the control center 69.

The switches 58612 and 6410 are turned to set a route for the brake-van by the control center 69. a brake-van on the siding 581 is pushed out by a screw-booster of the type known in the prior art. whereby said brake-van will be rolled to the departure track 641. Information. on passage of the brake-van over the track circuit at the switches 58119 and 641a goes to the control center 69. Next the control center 69 turns the switches 58312 to the specified position. Then the cars placed on the siding 583 in groups are pushed out by the screw-booster and coupled to the rear of the brake-van on the departure track 641. If a specified number of cars are pushed out ofthe siding 583 and the rear of the last one pushed out is to be connected to the specified cars on the siding 582, then the control center 69, after the last car is pushed onto the departure track 641, turns the switch 582b to the proper position to set the route thereby di recting the specified car to the rear of said last car. Thereafter, the other common cars are pushed out to be coupled to the rear of the specified car. Similarly, depending on the make-up of the train to be started, the cars sorted onto the sidings are successively pushed onto the departure track 641. Insertion of specified cars between the common cars if this is desired, will be accomplished by the same process as described above.

Thus a train is formed on the departure track 641. The train is hauled by a locomotove to the

main line

55 or 56 via the

switches

641b, 91 and 74 or 70, and from there it starts for its destination The cars sorted on the sorting lines 59, 60 and 61 are likewise pushed to appropriate departure tracks and from there they start for their destinations.

The car pushout devices used for this purpose can be a screw-booster and a car-pusher of the prior art as illustrated in FIGS. Zd-g. As shown in FIG. 2d, the main assembly of the screw-booster 99 extends in the longitudinal direction of rails 96 and 96'. The top surface of the main assembly of said screw-booster 99 lines below the tread surface of said rail 96 and 96' between the rails. Notches 98 are cut inside of the rail in the longitudinal direction of said main assembly of the screwbooster.

Drum 101 is provided at said notches 98, said drum 101 being a solid steel rod, on the periphery of which is, say. two

spiral fins

103 and 104. Said drum 101 is vertical-displaceably mounted on the mounting frames 106 and 106' on pinions 105 and 105'. One end of said drum 101 is connected to a rotating power source 102 by a power transmitting member 102.

Depending on the necessity therefor, a plurality of screw-boosters as described above can be provided along the rails and in this case the drums 101 of the plurality of screwboosters can be connected to the same rotating power source 102. With this arrangement, the drum 101 when it is not in use is lowered by the vertical pinions 105 and 105'. In the lowered position the

fins

103 and 104 are located by a specified amount below the tread surface of rail 96. When the screw-booster is to be used. the drum 101 is raised a specified amount using the vertical pinions 105 and 105', and as a result said

fins

103 and 104 rise the specified amount. The upward displacement of said drum 101 is sufficient so that the car wheel will be contacted; the power source 102 is then actuated. Power from said source 102 is transmitted via the power transmitting member 102' to the drum 101, and in consequence said drum 101 is rotated as required.

If the pitch, projecting surface and height of the

spiral fins

103 and 104 on the screw-booster 99 above rail 96 are sufficient, rotation of said drum will cause the

fins

103 and 104 on the drum 101 to push the wheel 107 of a car standing over said screw-booster forward. thereby shifting the car forward. Thus, without resort to a shunting engine. a car can be pushed a short distancev As just described above, a car arriving from the main line can also be converged to the departure line via the divergent loop track and the convergent loop track.

In FIG, 2b are again represented the essential elements of the embodiment in FIG. 2a of the present invention, i, e, the divergent loop track 62, the sub-loop track and the convergent loop track 66.

FIGS. 30 and 3b illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment represents a preferred example of the first embodiment being particularly applicable for a railway freightyard.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3a and 3b, the divergent loop track, sorting lines and convergent loop track shown in FIGS. 20 and 2b are symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of a common central arrival line 57.

In FIGS. 3a and 3b,

departure lines

640 and 64b correspond to the departure line 64 in FIGS. 2a and 2b; sorting

lines

58a and 58b to the sorting line 58; sorting lines 590 and 59b to the sorting line 59; sorting

lines

600 and 60b to the sorting line 60; divergent track loops 62a and 62b to the divergent track loop 62; arrival line 57 to the arrival line 57; shunting engine pool a, 65b and empty car pools 63a and 63b to the shunting engine 65 and empty car pool 63;

sub-loop tracks

68a and 68b to the sub-loop track 68; and convergent loop tracks 66a and 66b to the convergent loop track 66.

Switches

104 and 107 connect to the

main lines

55 and 56.

With this arrangement in the present embodiment, a train arriving from the main line 56 enters the arrival line 57 via the points switch 105. The cars of this train are sorted one by one into appropriate sidings of the respective sorting lines by a shunting engine sent from the pool 65a or 65b and coupled to the rear of a car group, as the switches on the divergent loop tracks 62a and 62b, the

sorting lines

58a, 58b, 59a, 59b, 60a and 60b are successively turned by the control center 69 which memorizes the label of each car in the train, to establish a route for the first car just as in the example of FIGS. 2a and 2b. If in this case an empty car is present in the group of arriving cars, said car will be delivered to the empty car pool siding 630 or 63b and a car needing a retransfer, if any, will be delivered via the sub-loop 68a or 68b to an appropriate track of the arrival line, just as described in example of FIGS. 2a and 2b. When each of the sorting lines 580, 58b60a, 60b becomes full, the cars thereon are successively converged on the departure lines 64a and 64b by means of a conventional screw-booster; and after completion of formation of a train, it starts via the

switch

104 or 107 for its destina tion. On the other hand, cars arriving from the main line 55 pass the switch 106 and similarly reach the arrival line 57'. in just the same way as above they are sorted one by one via the divergent loop tracks 62a and 621) into the sorting lines 58a60a, 58b60b; and after converging to the departure line 64a or 64b they start via the point 104 or I07 for their destination.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b. trains arriving from the

main lines

55 and 56 from different directions are received on the same track 57; the cars are sorted on the tracks symmetrically laid out centering around said track 57 as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b; the cars sorted into the sidings 58u-60b are converged via convergent loop tracks 66a and 66b and again they are sent back to respective main lines via

departure lines

640 and 64b.

The arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b will be suitable for a railway freightyard, because the trains coming from main lines in different directions can be received on one arrival line and the cars in them can be successively sorted by the track system laid out around this arrival line according to the present inven tion.

FIGS. 4b and 4b illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment will be suitable for a freight station.

In FIGS. and 4b the same elements are denoted by the same numbers.

In FIGS. 4a and 4b, divergent loop tracks 62a and 62b are the same as the divergent loop track 62 in FIG. 2a; sorting lines 58a and 5819 are the same as the sorting line 58; sorting

lines

59a and 59b are the same as the sorting line 59; sorting

lines

60a and 60b are the same as the sorting line 60; sorting lines 61a and 61b are the same as the sorting line 61; empty car loops 63a and 63b are the same as the empty car pool 63; engine pool 65 is the same as the engine pool 65. 110 and 111 are switches.

In this embodiment, the main lines are connected to the track system (hereinafter referred to as the basic loop track system) the same as the one in FIG. 2a,- each sorting line of said basic loop track system" is connected to a separately laid out second divergent loop track; and the sorting lines branching out from said second divergent loop track are connected via the departure lines to the main lines.

In other words, in the present embodiment two basic loop track systems are point-symmetrically connected in series, the main line being connected to the first basic loop track system via the arrival line and the second basic loop track system being connected to the main line via the departure line track.

With this arrangement a train arriving from the

main line

55 or 56 is received on a specified track of the arrival line 57 via the

switches

109 or 108. Next an engine dispatched from the shunting engine pool 65 is coupled to the tail end of the train received on said track. Then, in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 2a, the cars in the arriving train are successively pushed out by the engine and sorted onto appropriate sidings of the sorting lines 58a 6lu. These sorting lines may be each equipped with three dimensional mechanical cargo handling devices of the prior art. In this case, the cars on these sidings can be unloaded by means of these devices and cargo can be carried on a different level from the track, say, on the sec ond floor. When the unloading is finished, the finish signal goes to the control center. Thereupon, the cars, now empty, on the sorting lines 58(1-610 are successively pushed out by a screw-booster of the prior art in the direction of the other divergent track 62b, in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 2a; and

the cars thus sorted onto appropriate sidings of specitied sorting lines are loaded by means of three dimensional cargo handling devices on each siding and pushed out in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 2a and go onto specified tracks of the departure line 64 to be formed into trains.

It is desirable for convenience of unloading that in this example the car sorting on the first loop track system he done through control of appropriate switches that is, the car be sorted depending on the type of load, say, a container car or a common car. The car sorting in the second loop track system is done for convenience of loading, that is, the cars are sorted depending on how they are to be loaded, say, a container car or a common car.

It would be more desirable if the track system in this example were laid out on a first level, whereby cargo taken from the cars sorted on the sidings of the basic loop track system is carried upward by the three dimensional cargo handling devices of prior art to a cargo handling platform of the second level and vice versa,

According to the present invention. the conventional discontinuous sorting operation of hauling out cars by a shunting engine, as described in connection with FIG. 1, can be eliminated; and the cars can be very efficiently sorted by a continuous flow of cars in a single direction, thereby drastically saving time and labor heretofore wasted in freightyard and freight station op erations. According to the present invention, a small amount of land suffices for the track layout; and since the track layout can be approximately square, land use can be highly efficient and land administration can be quite easy.

What is claimed is:

l. A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station, comprising an arrival line connected to main lines to receive arriving trains, a departure line connected to said main lines to allow departure of made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line, a plurality of sorting lines connected to said divergent loop track each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extending in a diverging direction therefrom, the ends of said sorting lines in the direction of movement of railway cars through said system being coupled to said convergent loop track, whereby when railway cars received on the arrival lines are pushed toward said divergent loop track, said cars can be switched along said divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriate sidings of said sorting lines and then connected successively in the desired order in a train along said convergent loop track to the departure line.

2. A loop track system as claimed in claim I further comprising a sub-loop track connected at one point of said divergent loop track and to the end of the arrival line which is toward the main lines.

3. A loop track system as claimed in claim 2 in which said sub-loop track includes a shunting engine pool having a plurality of parallel connected sidings.

4. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said sorting lines include brake-van sidings, specified car sidings and common car sidings.

5. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of said sorting lines include automatic multistage make-break lines.

6. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 in which only one divergent loop track is connected to the arrival line and there is a single convergent loop track directly connected to said sorting sidings.

7. A loop track system as claimed in claim l further comprising at least one further divergent loop track connected to said arrival line. a further plurality of sorting lines connected to said further divergent loop track and extending in a diverging direction therefrom. a further convergent loop track connected to said plurality of sorting lines. and a further departure line connected between said further converging loop track and the main lines. whereby the system is suitable for a railway freightyard and the one arrival line is jointly utilized for both loop portions of the system.

8. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one further divergent loop track to which the ends of the sorting lines in the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system are connected, a further plurality of sorting sidings connected to said further divergent loop track and extending in a diverging direction therefrom and having the ends in the direction of movement of the railway cars through the system connected to said convergent loop track, whereby the system is suitable for a railway freight station.

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Claims

1. A loop track system for a railway freightyard and freight station, comprising an arrival line connected to main lines to receive arriving trains, a departure line connected to said main lines to allow departure of made up trains, at least one divergent loop track connected to the arrival line and a convergent loop track connected to the departure line, a plurality of sorting lines Connected to said divergent loop track each having a plurality of parallel connected sidings therein and extending in a diverging direction therefrom, the ends of said sorting lines in the direction of movement of railway cars through said system being coupled to said convergent loop track, whereby when railway cars received on the arrival lines are pushed toward said divergent loop track, said cars can be switched along said divergent loop track and sorted onto appropriate sidings of said sorting lines and then connected successively in the desired order in a train along said convergent loop track to the departure line.

2. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a sub-loop track connected at one point of said divergent loop track and to the end of the arrival line which is toward the main lines.

7. A loop track system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one further divergent loop track connected to said arrival line, a further plurality of sorting lines connected to said further divergent loop track and extending in a diverging direction therefrom, a further convergent loop track connected to said plurality of sorting lines, and a further departure line connected between said further converging loop track and the main lines, whereby the system is suitable for a railway freightyard and the one arrival line is jointly utilized for both loop portions of the system.