WO1999029552A2

WO1999029552A2 - Closed railway carriage for joint transport of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules

Info

Publication number: WO1999029552A2
Application number: PCT/CZ1998/000047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jir^¿í HOFMAN; Viktor KÖNIG
Original assignee: Hofman Jiri; Koenig Viktor
Priority date: 1997-12-08
Filing date: 1998-12-07
Publication date: 1999-06-17
Also published as: AU1331499A; CZ294435B6; CZ394997A3; WO1999029552A3

Abstract

Railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, consisting of at least one rotary platform (2), with optional transversal shifting against the longitudinal axis of the carriage, with dimensions corresponding to those of a passenger car, mounted in the floor (1), or its part, of the space used for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules, with doors (3) in the sides of the carriage at each of the rotary platforms, the dimensions of which allow the passage of a passenger car, with tilting ends (4). The carriages are loosely amended by mobile transportation modules (5), self-driven transportation modules (6), or compartment mobiles (12) for the transportation of seated and/or lying passengers. Self driven transportation modules (6) are fitted with traversing wheels (7), steering (8), brake (9), drive (10) and power battery (11). Compartment mobiles are further fitted with swinging hinges (13) for expanding the axis base as well as with all facilities required for current road transport. The railway carriage is further fitted with power and air-conditioning connectors (14) and elevators (15) to connect the individual decks for the transportation of passengers (II) and passenger cars and/or modules (I).

Description

Closed railway carriage for joint transport of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules.

Technical Field

According to the invention the design relates to the field of combined railway transport, i.e. transport of passenger cars on railway.

Background Art

Up to now railway carriages, used for the transport of passenger cars, have been designed as single or double decker, open or closed carriages, yet without any possibility of embarking or disembarking outside the terminal stations. So far no solution has been found for passenger cars to be transported similarly as luggage in the same carriage with the passengers, enabling easy, fast and free embarkation and disembarkation of passenger cars not only in terminuses, but also in intermediate stations. No solution is known so far that would make it possible to use part of the carriage alternately for the transport of passengers, passenger cars, luggage or for providing various services for passengers. Neither is it so far possible to change from one train to another without having to leave the compartment. No special road vehicles, specially suited for combined transport, are known that would be comfortable enough for passengers to stay in during railroad transport.

Disclosure of Invention

The above drawbacks will be removed by a closed railway carriage for joint transport of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, designed as a multi-space carriage, featuring at least one platform for the transportation of passenger cars and/or modules , situated on the floor of the space used for the transportation of passenger cars and/or modules. The platform is rotary in horizontal position and sliding in cross direction against the longitudinal axis of the carriage. The platform may be fitted with tilting ends to align its level with the railway platform. By rotating and /or sliding the platform it is possible to load passenger cars and/or transportation modules from side railway platforms and to form a longitudinal passage along the loaded vehicles and/or transportation modules. In one or both sides of the carriage's box, doors are fitted opposite each platform , with dimensions enabling the passage of a passenger car and/or transportation module and - as an option- doors for passengers without passenger cars. In the space used for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules power and air-conditioning connectors may be fitted, used to attach transportation modules and/or to load the batteries of electromobiles. In the part of the railway carriage, used for the transportation of passengers, space has been created - at least as large as one cabin, with a capacity bigger than the biggest capacity of transported passenger cars. Passenger space is designed for the transportation of sitting and lying passengers, or the combination of both. The spaces for the transportation of passengers and those for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules - if fitted on top of each other - can be connected by means of stairs and/or elevators. An independent addition to the multi- space railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules are transportation modules, used for transporting sitting and/or lying passengers, providing services or transporting luggage. They are shorter or as long as a passenger car, alternately shorter or as long as half of its length, as wide or wider than a passenger car and lower than the space used for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules. The transportation module is fitted with an air-conditioning and power connector. A convenient option of the transportation module is the self-driven transportation module, fitted - other than the basic transportation module - with its own drive, brake, power battery and control and steering. The self-driven transportation module, driven by its own force, can be used within the railway station and its close surroundings. Yet another convenient option is the self-driven transportation module, the so called "compartment module", fitted with all facilities required for road transportation, the length of which is shorter and/or equal to that of a medium class passenger car, thus enabling the transportation of two "compartment modules " on one platform. The "compartment module " is wider or as wide as a passenger car and lower or as high as the space used for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules. The entire area of the "compartment module" is used for seating the crew. In its rear part there is a bench on which three persons may comfortably be seated. In the front part there are two seats - one for the driver - that can be rotary, which are used when travelling on the train or to make the embarkation easier. The seat backs can inclined and adapted as couchets. With regard to the sufficient height of the carriage , its rotary front seats and the passage way in-between, one single door in the middle of one of the compartment mobile's sides is sufficient to enable easy embarkation and disembarkation of passengers. The drive, power battery and reserve wheel may be located below the rear seat. Compartment modules that require higher speed when driven on roads, may be fitted with wheel suspender to expand the axle base. When shifting the front axle forward, luggage space may be formed between the front wheels, that can also be used as deformation zone in case of any front impact. When shifting out the rear axis backward a platform may be formed behind the rear wall of the vehicle, facilitating the transportation of large sized objects. The main luggage space , located above the rear seats , is accessible both from inside and outside. Yet another depository space may be created above the front window. A large bag may be located on the rear wall of the vehicle and used to transport larger amount of luggage. The rear wall may be suspended from upper hinges and partially tilted backwards, thus forming yet another large luggage space behind the rear seats.

The closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules enables the concurrent side embarkation and disembarkation of passengers with their passenger cars into the railway carriage and at the same time joint transportation of passengers with their passenger cars in one single railway carriage. From the viewpoint of railroad transport this enables a very short time of stationing and also the use in intermediate stations, the platforms of which are fitted with approach roads. When travelling in passenger cars over longer distances, it is thus possible to use the more comfortable and safer railroad transport for the most part of the journey and to use the time of transportation for activities that are impossible or difficult in a car ( such as business, study, active and passive rest or comfortable sleep). The passenger is thus able to make use of the his/her own car both at the beginning and at the end of the journey. Yet another possibility is travelling over long distances in environment friendly means of transport, such as electromobiles that can be reloaded while travelling on the train.This possibility might largely enhance their use on a much larger scale. Yet another environment-friendly means of transport is a train drawn by an electric locomotive. The invention also makes it possible to use a larger number of trains, the capacity of which will be better utilised as a result of transporting passenger cars. Moreover passengers without travelling cars will be offered a wide range of services, thus making travelling by train more attractive. A further possibility is the change of the rate in the transportation capacity of passengers with and without passenger cars. The invention also makes it possible to offer a number of various services as required, such as disabled passengers corner, children's corner, video corner, fitness centre, sales corner, etc. The invention also facilitates the construction of compartment mobiles, the dimensions of which are rational only in case of the existence of extended combined transportation. Compartment mobiles can be used for comfortable transport both in cities and their close vicinity. Due to their length it will be possible to park in perpendicular direction at places where only longitudinal parking has been possible. Compartment mobiles - if used at a larger scale - can thus help to substantially increase the parking capacity in cities. The invention will also largely contribute to the spread of combined transport, the main advantage of which in the field of power generation and environment protection is the fact that liquid fuel combustion in passenger cars combustion engines will be replaced by burning other kinds of fuels in power plants, generating environment - friendly electric power for railroad transportation. It is possible to fit power plants with more efficient desulfurization and separation facilities with a positive impact on the environment. Combined passenger transport will further enhance the use of passenger cars with environment friendly drive (gas, accumulators) by increasing their action radius, which in turn will help to clean the air. In the same way, combined transportation may also help to design cars with lesser mass and lower capacity, with yet another positive impact on the environment. Brief description of the drawing

Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules is further specified in the attached drawings, with schematic demonstration in two options. Option 1 shows a carriage with an undercarriage with small wheels for the transportation of four passenger cars and/or transportation modules. Option 2 shows a carriage with Jacobson undercarriages for the transportation of three passenger cars and/or transportation modules. Fig. 1 shows the cross section of the railway carriage (Option 1) for the transportation of four passenger cars on the lower deck and with passenger space on the upper deck. Fig. 2 shows the ground-plan of the upper deck with passenger space. Fig. 3 shows in ground-plan the lower deck with platforms of the same carriage. Fig. 4 shows the cross section of the railway carriage (Option 2) for the transportation of 3 passenger cars on the lower deck and with passenger space on the upper deck. Fig. 5 shows the ground plan of the upper deck with passenger space. Fig. 6 shows in ground plan the lower deck with platforms of the same carriage.

The independent addition of the closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules - the compartment mobile - is shown in detail in the attached drawings. Fig. 7 shows the drawing of the compartment mobile from the driver's side, with extended wheel suspenders and auxiliary luggage space. Fig. 8 shows the ground plan of a compartment mobile with extended wheel suspenders, seats facing each other and a table. Fig. 9 shows the front view of a compartment mobile, Fig. 10 shows the rear view of a compartment mobile. Fig. 11 depicts the compartment mobile from the side of the door, without extended wheel suspenders and Fig. 12 shows the ground plan of a compartment mobile, with seats arranged as in a car. Detailed description

Closed railway carriage, shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, is approximately 23 meters long. On the lower deck I there are 4 power driven platforms 2, fitted rotary in horizontal level,with the option of cross shift in respect to the longitudinal axle of the carriage designed for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules, with dimensions approximately 4600 x 1700 mm and a height of approximately 1900 mm. The platforms 2 are fitted with tilting ends 4 to align their level with that of the railway platform. In both sides of the closed railway carriage, situated opposite each platform 2, there are doors 3 for loading and unloading passenger cars. This door 3 consists of four vertical wings, each approximately 1200 mm wide, that will slightly rotate and shift towards the sides when opening the door. Doors through which passengers without cars embark and disembark are placed on both sides in the centre of the carriage, opposite the transverse passage. The ceiling of the space for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules I is 1900 mm high in the platform space 2 and 2100 mm high in the space of the transverse passage formed by transverse shifting of platforms 2, as well as in the space of the transverse passage in the centre of the carriage between the platforms. The ceiling is fitted with power and air- conditioning connectors 14. The transverse passage in the centre of the carriage allows passengers travelling without passenger cars to approach the doors and both remaining interspaces between the platforms are used as a elevator shafts for elevators L5 connecting both decks. Passages approximately 1000 mm wide remain between passenger cars. On both ends of the carriage transition doors are fitted, used to pass on to the neighbouring carriages. On both ends of the lower deck there are hygienic corners. On the upper deck of the carriage there is a space for passengers π. Upper deck is divided into two parts, with each part being serviced by one elevator j_5 with ground-plan dimensions of approximately 1000 x 1200 mm, used to transport 4 persons and their luggage at the same time. The elevator floor can be lifted off and used as an emergency exit to the lower deck in case of elevator failure. Shown in Fig. 2 are two options of the upper deck arrangement, with passenger space H, with each half containing two large cabins for seven to eight sitting and/or three to four lying persons, two small cabins for three to four sitting .and/or two lying persons, space for six to nine sitting passengers, WC and hygienic corner with wash-basin and shower. Closed railway carriage, shown in Fig. 4,Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 is approximately 20 m long. In the lower deck floor I there are 3 electrically driven platforms 2, rotating in horizontal level, for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules with dimensions approximately 4600 x 1700 mm and a height of up to approximately 1900 mm. The platforms 2 are fitted with tilting ends 4 to align their level with that of the railway platform. In both sides of the closed railway carriage, situated opposite each platform 2, there are doors 3 for loading and unloading passenger cars. This door 3 consists of four vertical wings, each approximately 1200 mm wide, that will slightly rotate and shift towards the sides when opening the door. Doors through which passengers without cars embark and disembark are placed on both sides in the centre of the carriage, opposite the transverse passage. The ceiling of the space for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules I is 1900 mm high in the platform space and 2100 mm high in the space of the longitudinal passage, formed by transverse shifting of the platforms, as well as of the transverse passage. The ceiling is fitted with power and air-conditioning connectors 14. The transverse passage in the centre of the carriage allows passengers travelling without passenger cars to approach the doors. Passages approximately 1000 mm wide remain between passenger cars. On both ends of the carriage transition doors are fitted, used to pass on to the neighbouring carriages. On both ends of the lower deck there are hygienic comers. On the upper deck of the carriage there is a space for passengers π. Upper deck is divided into two parts, containing passenger cabins. Upon the opening of side doors during disembarkation and embarkation of passengers travelling with and without passenger cars in intermediate stations, first passengers without passenger cars disembark. Upon the opening of door 3, rotating platforms 2 are concurrently shifted in transverse direction towards the opened door 3_, turned in approximately transverse direction and their ends 4 tilted to adjust the height of the carriage with that of the railway platform. Following the disembarkation and embarkation of passenger cars, rotating platform 2 are turned in longitudinal direction and shifted in transverse direction towards one of the sides, allowing just a narrow gap between the carriage's side and the passenger cars on the side opposite the driver. Then passenger car crews as well as passengers travelling without cars embark and the side doors close. A passage is formed between the passenger car^'s sides on the driver's side and the other side of the railway carriage. Passengers with luggage move to the passenger space H by using the staircase and/or the elevators L5. Shown in Fig. 7, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10, Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 is the compartment mobile 12, 2300mm long, 1800 mm wide and 1900 mm high, that could replace current passenger cars in case of wide enough spread of combined transportation in accordance with the invention. Compartment mobiles resemble train compartments on four wheels, or a small private bus. The compartment mobile is up to approximately 2300 mm long, thus allowing the transportation of two compartment mobiles on each platform designed to transport passenger cars. The compartment mobile is approximately 1800 mm wide and approximately 1900 mm high. Its entire ground plan area is used for seating the crew. In its rear part there is a bench on which three persons may comfortably be seated. In the front part there are two seats - one for the driver - that can be rotated by 180° and used especially when travelling on the train. The seat backs can inclined and adapted as couchets. Although the vehicle is not too long, it is high enough to allow comfortable sitting for all passengers. The vehicle has one single door, located in the vehicle's right side. With regard to the sufficient height of the carriage, its rotary front seats and the passage way in-between, this door is sufficient to enable easy embarkation and disembarkation of passengers. The drive __, power battery l_ and reserve wheel are located below the rear seat and the rear fixed axes is driven. The drive has a large enough power to reach the speed of approximately 100 km/h. The front axis is control undriven axis. With regard to the short axle base (approximately 1600 mm), which is not sufficient for higher speeds, the front and optionally also the rear axis are fitted with swinging hinge 13, allowing the expansion of the axle base to the required value at higher speeds. When shifting the front axle forward, a small luggage space will be formed between the front wheels, that can also be used as deformation zone in case of any front impact. When shifting out the rear axis backward a platform will be formed behind the rear wall of the vehicle, facilitating the transportation of large sized objects. The main luggage space, located above the rear seats, is accessible both from inside and outside. Yet another depository space is situated above the front window. A large bag may be located on the rear wall of the vehicle and used to transport larger amount of luggage. The rear wall may be suspended from upper hinges and partially tilted backwards, thus forming yet another large luggage space behind the rear seats. Industrial Application

The invention is especially well suited for the use in combined transportation to transport passenger cars on the railroad for parts of the journey. Passenger cars give the passengers freedom and allow comfortable transportation from house to house. If passengers need to travel with heavy luggage , be mobile in the place of their destination or if travelling by public means of transport is too complicated, they will most probably prefer to travel with their own cars. On the other hand, due to the increasing traffic, driving cars becomes ever more dangerous, stressful and unreliable (traffic jams) and time spent in a car is practically wasted. By using the invention it will be possible to offer passengers sufficient number of trains with the above railway carriages, thus shifting larger parts of long distance passenger car travel (over 150 km) to railroads and creating a new and passenger friendly system of combined passenger transportation. While preserving the advantages of individual passenger car transportation, increasing the safety, comfort and better use of time during the journey, protecting the environment and making it possible to travel throughout the day and night without any interruptions, the action radius of a passenger car becomes much wider. With approximately 70 passenger cars on each train travelling at 5 minutes intervals, approximately 1700 passenger cars can be transported on a double-track railway line in both directions each hour, which alone represents a heavily loaded road. At the same time a considerable offer for passengers without passenger cars will be created, equalling at least the number of seats in passenger cars. With stations 50 to 70 km apart, approximately 10 minutes stationing and the maximum speed of the trains reaching 120 to 160 km / h, the travelling speed is comparable to that of passenger cars in case of shorter distances and higher in case of longer distances. As for the amount of energy, required by the system of passenger car transportation on trains, the lower amount of energy required by this type of transportation is eliminated by the heavy mass of the railway carriage, thus making both means of transportation approximately equal as far as the amount of required energy is concerned. Moreover, if there are passengers on the train, travelling without passenger cars, the energy requirement of combined traffic decreases. Yet another advantage of combined traffic in the field of energy and environment protection is the fact that liquid fuel combustion in passenger cars combustion engines will be replaced by burning other kinds of fuels in power plants, generating environment - friendly electric power for railroad transportation. It is possible to fit power plants with more efficient desulfurization .and separation facilities with a positive impact on the environment. Combined passenger transport will further enhance the use of passenger cars with environment friendly drive (gas, accumulators) by increasing their action radius, which in turn will help to clean the air. In the same way, combined transportation may also help to design cars with lesser mass and lower capacity, with yet another positive impact on the environment. The prerequisite of widespread combined traffic is a dense enough network of stations (50 - 70 km) with the possibility of passenger cars embarkation and disembarkation, creation of an advanced information and reservation system in close vicinity of these stations, offer of wide scale of services as well as reasonable price policy. As for the price policy, it is important to realise that combined traffic not only saves fuel but also decreases the wear of vehicles, cost of maintenance and possibly new purchase, saves time and accommodation costs, decreases damage to passenger cars and to the environment and encourages passengers to travel without cars. Taking all the above factors into account, it may well be expected that combined passenger traffic will be more favourable as far as price is concerned. Thanks to the length of the compartment mobile the vehicle can be parked endwise to the pavements, without significantly narrowing the roads. Thanks to this possibility, the vehicle can be parked simply and fast, without hindering the traffic in towns. A space of approximately 2.5 m along the pavement is sufficient to park the compartment mobile, which is about one half of the space currently required for parking. With the introduction of compartment mobiles as the main means of traffic for individual transportation, a significant increase in parking space may well be expected. Due to its length, twice as many compartment mobiles than passenger cars can be transported in carriages. Moreover, compartnemt mobiles can embark and disembark transversely, thus making it possible to use carriages without rotating platforms. Thanks to the above facts, the cost of this means of transportation will significantly decrease.

Claims

1. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, characterized by at least one rotating platform in the floor (1) of the space intended for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules (I) that can optionally be transversely shifted towards the longitudinal axis of the carriage, the dimensions of which correspond with those of a passenger car, with doors (3) fitted in the sides of the carriage at each platform, allowing the passage of a passenger car.

2. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules as specified under claim 1, characterized by a rotating platform (2) with at least one tilting end (4).

3. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, characterized by freely amended by transportation modules (5) for the transportation of seated and/or lying passengers and for providing services, approximately as long as a medium class passenger car, approximately as wide or wider than a medium class passenger car, higher than a medium class passenger car, yet lower than the space for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules

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4. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, characterized by freely amended by transportation modules (5) for seated and/or lying passengers and for providing services, approximately half as long as a medium class passenger car, approximately as wide as or wider than a medium class passenger car (up to approximately 2000 mm) and higher than a medium class passenger car, yet lower than the space for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules (I).

5. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by freely amended with self-driven transportation modules (6), i.e. mobile transportation modules (5), fitted with traversing wheels (7), steering (8), brake (9), drive (10) and power battery (11) for independent movement of the self-driven transportation module (6) on the premises of the railway station and its close surroundings.

6. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules according to claim 4, characterized by freely amended with compartment mobiles (12), i.e. mobile transportation modules (5), fitted with traversing wheels (7), steering (8), brake (9), drive (10) and power battery (11), enabling movement along current roads, equipped with all other facilities required for current road transport (e.g. driving lights, windscreen wipers, rear-view mirror, etc.).

7. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules according to claim 6, characterized by at least one compartment mobile axis (12) fitted with swinging hinges (13) to expand its axis base.

8. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules, characterized by the space for the transportation of passenger cars and/or transportation modules (I) fitted with power and air-conditioning connectors (14) for connecting transportation modules and loading the batteries of transported electromobiles.

9. Closed railway carriage for joint transportation of passengers and passenger cars and/or transportation modules characterize d by spaces for the transportation of passengers (II) and of passenger cars and/or transportation modules (I) arranged on top of each other and connected by elevators (15).