WO2004083013A2

WO2004083013A2 - Railway trolley with revolving seats

Info

Publication number: WO2004083013A2
Application number: PCT/IB2004/000671
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Albanese
Original assignee: Itera S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-03-21
Filing date: 2004-03-04
Publication date: 2004-09-30
Also published as: ITTO20030208A1; WO2004083013A3

Abstract

A railway-riding vehicle comprises a substantially rectangular chassis (12) that is supported by four railway-type wheels (14) at its corners. The chassis supports a frame (16) for rotation around a vertical axis (Z), and for accommodating one or more passengers. The frame is selectively lockable in a first or a second operating position shifted by 180°. The vehicle is driven by traction means driving at least a pair of coaxial wheels.

Description

"Railway-riding vehicle"

This invention is concerned with a vehicle riding on a railway, for use in maintenance or repair of the lines or of the rolling stock, as well as for touring on secondary or abandoned railway sections.

Small, mostly pedal-driven, railway tracks are known, which are typically used for transfers over railway lines for maintenance purposes, and which are equipped for carrying one or two persons.

The main object of this invention is now to provide a railway-riding vehicle which can carry a small group of persons in a comfortable sitting position, so that it may be suitable for riding over inactive railway sections for line-maintenance, as well as for tours over abandoned lines.

The above and other objects and advantages, such as will appear below, are achieved by the invention with a vehicle having the features set out in claim 1, the dependent claims reciting other advantageous, though unessential features.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a preferred, though non-exclusive embodiment, shown by way of example and not of limitation in the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective rear view of a railway-riding vehicle according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective front view of the vehicle of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of a detail of the vehicle of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the vehicle of Fig. 1, in a transient configuration;

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, perspective view of a detail of the vehicle of Fig. 5. With reference to the above listed Figures, a vehicle 10 according to the invention comprises a rectangular chassis 12, which is symmetrical with respect to its middle transverse axis and is carried at its corners on four railway-type wheels 14 adapted to roll on ordinary rails. Chassis 12 supports a frame 16 for rotation about a vertical axis Z though the chassis center. Frame 16 supports two side-by-side, backed chairs 18, 20 and a further pair of chairs or a bench 22 set behind and above. Frame 16 is selectively lockable, by means of a locking lever S, in a first operating position or in a second operating position, shifted by 180°. The frame is pivotable around a vertical shaft 24, integral with the chassis, by means of a rolling bearing (not shown), and it rests on three feet such as 26, which are provided at their lower ends with small wheels 28, running along a circular rail 30 with vertical axis, integral with the chassis. A further support for frame 16, intended to prevent capsizing in any of its operating positions, comprises horizontal bars Bl, B2, integral with the chassis and rising from the respective longitudinal ends of the latter.

In order to prevent frame 16 from tipping during its rotation, while the horizontal bars are not engaged, a counterbracing arm 26b extends from the forward end of frame 16 and carries a small wheel 28b which engages the underside of circular rail 30, so that it will counterbalance the weight of the back structure of the frame, on which bench 22 is mounted.

Moreover, the vehicle is provided, at its longitudinal ends, with respective cowlings 32, 34, integral with chassis 12 and extending halfway around it, and also with a further back wall 36 attached to frame 16 behind bench 22. For clarity of illustration, cowlings 32, 34 and wall 36 are only shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The vehicle is provided with a pedal-operated traction system and with a thermal- engine traction system, which can be selectively enabled by the driver.

As most clearly shown on Fig. 3, for the purposes of pedal-operated traction the vehicle is provided, at both its longitudinal ends, with double pedals 38, 40, which are arranged in parallel to turn the corresponding wheel axle 44, via a chain transmission 42, having a gearbox 42b of the type used on bicycles. For motor traction, an internal-combustion engine 46 for motorcycles is mounted at one end of the chassis. Engine 46 is supplied from a fuel tank 48 and drives a clutch-gearbox unit 50_s which directly drives the axle via a chain transmission 52.

Each axle is provided with a braking unit comprising a pair of shoes 54, 56, radially acting on respective axle wheels and linked to respective levers 58, 60 radially extending from opposite ends of a bar 62 that is supported on frame 12 at two points A, B, for rotation around its own axis. One of both levers 58, 60 (lever 60 on Fig. 2) is manually operated by the driver, who, by pulling lever 60, will radially press shoes 54, 56 against the upper surface of the respective wheels, thereby braking the wheels by f iction.

Fig. 4 shows how frame 16 may be shifted by 180° when it is desired to invert the direction of movement.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a vehicle 110 made according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, an electric motor 146 is used for traction instead of a combustion engine. Motor 146 is supplied from a battery 148, is connected to the axle via a chain transmission 152, and is controlled through a rheostat R located between the seats.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, but several modifications and changes can be made to it, including the omission of unessential features, all such changes falling within the same inventive concept. For instance, chain transmissions may be replaced with belt transmissions or with gear trains, depending on circumstances. Also, although a pair of pedals for each axle is shown in the preferred embodiment, so that the passengers in the front seats can share the vehicle traction effort, a single pedal for each axle is sufficient. The braking members are an unessential feature of the invention, particularly where the vehicle is only provided with pedal-traction.

Claims

1. A railway vehicle comprising a substantially rectangular chassis (12) that is supported by four railway-riding wheels (14) at its corners, characterized in that it comprises a frame (16) for accommodating at least one passenger, which frame is rotatably supported on said chassis (12) around a vertical axis (Z) and is selectively lockable in one of a first operating position and a second operating position shifted by 180°, and in that at least a pair of coaxial wheels is driven by respective traction means.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, characterized in that said traction means comprise, for each pair of coaxial wheels, respective pedal-operated driving members (38, 40), which are alternatively accessible by the driver depending on the current operating position of the frame (16) and connected for transmitting motion to said pair of wheels via transmission members (42).

3. The vehicle of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said frame (16) is provided with two side-by-side seats (18, 20) and said pedal-operated driving members (38, 40) comprise double pedals (38, 40), which are accessible by a pair of drivers sitting on said seats, and arranged for driving in parallel said pair of coaxial wheels.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, characterized in that said seats are backed chairs.

5. The vehicle of any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said transmission members (42) comprise a gearbox (42b).

6. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said traction means comprise motor means (46) for vehicle traction, which drive at least one pair of coaxial wheels.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, characterized in that said motor means comprise an internal-combustion engine (46) supplied from a fuel tank (48) and connected for transmitting motion to said pair of wheels via a clutch-gearbox unit (50) and transmission members (52).

8. The vehicle of claim 6, characterized in that said motor means comprise an electric motor (146) supplied from a battery (148) and connected for transmitting motion to said pair of wheels via a transmission train (152).

9. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises vehicle braking means (54-62, A, B).

10. The vehicle of claim 9, characterized in that said braking means comprise, for each pair of coaxial wheels, a pair of shoes (54, 56) linked to respective levers (58, 60) which are hinged on the chassis (12) and are manually operable by the driver, for radially pressing on respective wheels of the corresponding axle.

11. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said frame (16) is supported on at least three feet (26) which are provided with small wheels (28) arranged for rolling on a circular rail (30) integral with the chassis (12) and having a vertical axis.

12. The vehicle of any of claims 3 to 11, characterized in that said frame (16) is provided with a further pair of seats or a bench (22) placed behind said front seats

(18, 20).

13. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises horizontal bars (Bl, B2) for supporting the frame (16), the horizontal bars being attached to the chassis (12) at its respective longitudinal ends.

14. The vehicle of any of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a counterbracing arm (26b) extending from the front of the frame (16), and provided, at its end, with a small wheel (28b) engaging the underside of the circular rail (30).

15. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises cowlings (32, 34) integral with the chassis (12) and extending halfway around its longitudinal ends, respectively.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises a wall (36) attached to the frame (16) behind the bench (22).