(19)
(11) EP 1 925 824 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
11.04.2012 Bulletin 2012/15

(21) Application number: 07475003.5

(22) Date of filing: 20.11.2007
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
F15B 7/00(2006.01)
B61D 5/00(2006.01)
F15B 7/08(2006.01)
B65D 90/34(2006.01)

(54)

Hydraulic control unit for a venting valve and a drain valve

Hydraulische Steuereinrichtung für ein Belüftungsventil und ein Ablassventil

Unité de commande hydraulique d'une valve d'aération et d'une valve de vidange


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
HR RS

(30) Priority: 27.11.2006 SK 51022006
27.11.2006 SK 50822006 U

(43) Date of publication of application:
28.05.2008 Bulletin 2008/22

(73) Proprietors:
  • Kalvoda, Vladimír
    811 06 Bratislava (SK)
  • Szabo, Marek
    821 05 Bratislava (SK)

(72) Inventors:
  • Kalvoda, Vladimír
    811 06 Bratislava (SK)
  • Szabo, Marek
    821 05 Bratislava (SK)

(74) Representative: Litvakova, Edita 
Litváková a spol. Patent, Trademark and Expert Agency Pluhova 78
831 03 Bratislava
831 03 Bratislava (SK)


(56) References cited: : 
DE-A1- 2 251 008
FR-A- 2 800 341
FR-A- 2 049 311
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    Field of the invention



    [0001] Hydraulic control unit for railway cisterns, comprising a bottom valve and an aeration valve for the bottom discharge of a liquid transported in the cistern are known.

    [0002] Such a hydraulic control unit is known from FR 2 049 311.

    Background of the invention



    [0003] Existing design solutions of the simultaneous control of the bottom and aeration valves are solved by mechanical control by a cable, by hydraulic system with a central pump and hydraulic cylinders in the bottom and aeration valve and by mechanical-hydraulic bond of the bottom valve with parallel or serial connection of the valves. Disadvantage of the existing systems is a necessity for maintenance of the hydraulic systems with seals, a complicated kinematics of the mechanical-hydraulic systems and space demands of these applications, and all these factors influence failure rates and lifetime and insufficient automatically protection of the cistern against a possible deformation during exhausting phase, in case some failure occur in the parallel mechanical-hydraulic bond during this exhausting phase, and inconvenient protection of the cistern in case of damage of a mechanical cable bond which can result in self-opening of the aeration valve, following with discharge of the transported substrate.

    The nature of the technical solution



    [0004] The lacks mentioned above are resolved by the hydraulic control unit of claim 1. The unit of the hydraulic control of the bottom and aeration valves in the serial hydraulic connection of these valves for railway cisterns, according to this technical solution, for discharge of the cistern in a case of failure of the hydraulic control due to a untightness or impassibility of a hydraulic medium through the connecting pipelines, signalizes the failure by the pointers to a service whereas the bottom and aeration valves are closed automatically, so the underpressure can not damage the cistern, even if the service is not present. Separate hydraulic unit enables its arbitrary location on the railway cistern, and simultaneously it enables lower location of the bottom valve which ensures a versatility of use of this solution for various design solutions of the railway cistern. The whole system has only static tightening elements, created by screw connections, so operation is without a maintenance and failure.

    Scheme of the figures in drawing



    [0005] The technical solution will be explained more detailed by the drawing, where Fig. 1 schematically illustrates one of the possible construction solutions of the unit of the hydraulic control of the bottom and aeration valves in the serial hydraulic connection of these valves for the railway cisterns.

    Example of realization



    [0006] The unit of the hydraulic control of the bottom and aeration valves in the serial hydraulic connection of these valves for the railway cisterns according to Fig. 1 consists of bearer body 1 fixed to the railway cistern frame, in which is rotatory fixed a rod 2 of the manual control-levers 3, firmly connected with the driver 4, jointly connected with gear-lever 5, jointly connected with swinging control-lever 6, rotatory located on the pin 7 of the bearer body 1 whereas the short arm 8 of the swinging control-lever 6 is jointly connected to the dilatation groove 9 of the rod 10 of the control bellows hydraulic cylinder 11. The supporting head 12 of the control bellows hydraulic cylinder 11 is by the central pin 13 rotatory connected with the signal-lever 14 which is by one marginal pin 15 rotatory fixed to the bearer body 1, and by the second marginal pin 16 on the longer arm is kinematically connected with the signal draw rod 17, equipped with the signal spring 18, fixed onto the bearer body 1, and connected by the pin 19 with the signal driver 20, firmly fixed onto the signal shaft 21 with the pointers 22 of the valve positions. The movement of the supporting head 12 and the signal-lever 14 is limited longitudinally by the groove 23 in the bearer body 1 through which penetrates the central pin 13. The double-arm lever 24 with the blocking arm 25 and buffer arm 26 is placed rotatory in the blocking holder 27 in which is placed the reversible spring 28, supported by end of the buffer arm 26. The blocking holder 27 is fixed onto the bearer body 1 in such way that in the closed position of the aeration valve 29, and the bottom valve 30, the blocking arm 25 sinks into the slot 31 of the signal driver 20, and in open positions of the aeration valve 29 and the bottom valve 30, is, after rotation of the driver 4 and by its touch with the buffer arm 26, the blocking arm 25 uncovered out of the slot 31. The control bellows hydraulic cylinder 11 is serially connected through the discharge pipeline 32 with the hydraulic bellows unit 33 of the aeration valve 29, and also through the connecting pipeline 34 with hydraulic bellows unit 35 of the bottom valve 30. Arresting spring 36 supporting by the bearer body 1 abuts onto the swinging control-lever 6. Position of the driver 4 is limited by arresting buffer 37 and by end buffer 38. The whole hydraulic system is closed and filled with brake fluid whereby a temperature dilatation of the brake fluid is compensated by the dilatation groove 9 in the closed position of the both valves, and by the help of unlimited uplift of the bottom valve 30 at open position of the both valves. The aeration valve 29 has the mechanically limited uplift.
    Procedure of opening of the aeration valve 29 and the bottom valve 30 by the help of the unit of the hydraulic control is as follows. By gradual rotating of the manual control-lever 3, the driver 4 gradually rotates from the arresting buffer 37 up to end buffer 38. During this rotation of the driver 4, as long as the driver 4 uncovers the blocking arm 25 out of the slot 31, is the central pin 13 of the supporting head 12 without movement in the starting position in the groove 23 whereas the brake fluid is pushed out from the control bellows hydraulic cylinder 11 through the discharge pipeline 32 to the hydraulic bellows unit 33 which opens the aeration valve 29, and then the brake liquid is pushed out through the connecting pipeline 34 to the hydraulic bellows unit 35 which opens the bottom valve 30 whereas the aeration valve 29 opens in advance. When the driver 4 uncovers the blocking arm 25 out of the slot 31, till then blocked signal driver 20 is released, so by a press in the control bellows hydraulic cylinder 11, the supporting head 12 is displaced in the groove 23 into the second marginal position, by which is displaced also the signal-lever 14, and the signal draw rod 17 by overcoming of the signal spring 18, causes through the signal driver 20 and the signal shaft 21 a rotation of the pointers 22 into position signalizing an opening of the both valves. The power of prestress of the signal spring 18 is set in such way that at failure of tightness of the control hydraulic system, the hydraulic press has zero value, and so, no rotation of the pointers 22 occurs, and this signalizes to the service, that the both valves stayed closed due to a failure. In case, there occurs a mechanical damage of the discharge pipeline 32 or of the connecting pipeline 34 in such way, that they are impassable, a rotation of the driver 4 to its end position up to the end buffer 38 is impossible, and in that case uncovering of the blocking arm 25 out of the slot 31 does not occur, so, the pointers 22 signalize again that at least the bottom valve 30 stayed closed due to the failure. In the case of untightness failure during exhausting phase, the both valves are closed automatically, and the pointers 22 signalize the closing of the both valves, due to the failure. During function state, the both valves it is possible to close by rotating of the manual control-lever 3 to the starting position which causes that the driver 4 abuts onto the arresting buffer 37. Mutual activity of kinematics of the gear from the manual control levers 3 up to swinging control lever 6, and the arresting spring 36, ensures an automatically arresting of the manual control levers 3 in the position with both valves of the railway cistern closed or in the position with both valves of the railway cistern opened.


    Claims

    1. Hydraulic control unit for a railway cistern, comprising a bottom valve (30) and an aeration valve (29) for the bottom discharge of a liquid transported in the cistern characterized by manual control levers (3) with a rod (2) rotatively fixed to a bearer body (1) fixed to a railway cistern frame said rod (2) being firmly connected with a driver (4) jointly connected with a gear-lever (5), said gear-lever (5) being jointly connected with a swinging control-lever (6), rotatively located on a pin (7) of the bearer body (1), wherein a short arm (8) of the swinging control-lever (6) is jointly connected to a dilatation groove (9) of a rod (10) of a control bellows hydraulic cylinder (11), wherein a supporting head (12) of the control bellows hydraulic cylinder (11) is rotatively connected by a central pin (13), with a signal-lever (14) which is rotatively fixed by a first marginal pin (15) to the bearer body (1), and by a second marginal pin (16) on a longer arm kinematically connected with a signal draw rod (17) equipped with a signal spring (18), fixed onto the bearer body (1), and connected by a pin (19) with a signal driver (20) firmly fixed onto a signal shaft (21) with pointers (22) of the valve positions, wherein a movement of the supporting head (12) and the signal lever (14) is limited longitudinally by a groove (23) in the bearer body (1) through which penetrates the central pin (13) wherein a double-arm lever (24) with a blocking arm (25) and a buffer arm (26) is rotatively placed in a blocking holder (27) in which a reversible spring (28) is placed, said reversible spring (28) being supported by an end of the buffer arm (26) wherein the blocking holder (27) is fixed onto the bearer body (1) in such way that in the closed position of the aeration valve (29) and the bottom valve (30), the blocking arm (25) sinks into a slot (31) of the signal driver (20), and in the open position of the aeration valve (29) and the bottom valve (30), after rotation of the driver (4) and by its touch with the buffer arm (26), the blocking arm (25) is uncovered out of the slot (31), and the control bellows hydraulic cylinder (11) is serially connected through a discharge pipeline (32) with a hydraulic bellows unit (33) of the aeration valve (29), and also through a connecting pipeline (34) with a hydraulic bellows unit (35) of the bottom valve (30).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Hydraulische Steuereinrichtung für eine Eisenbahnzisterne, mit einem Bodenventil (30) und einem Belüftungsventil (29) für die Bodenentleerung der in der Zisterne transportierten Flüssigkeiten, gekennzeichnet durch manuelle Steuerhebels (3) mit einer Stange (2) drehbar befestigt zum Tragkörper (1), der zum Rahmen der Eisenbahnzisterne befestigt ist, die angeführte Stange (2) fest mit einem Mitnehmer (4) verbunden ist, der mit einem Übersetzungshebel (5) gelenkt verbunden ist, der angeführte Übersetzungshebel (5) gelenkt verbunden mit dem Schwingbedienhebel (6) ist, drehbar gelagert an dem Bolzen (7) des Tragkörper (1), wobei ein kurzer Arm (8) des Schwingbedienhebel (6) gelenkt verbunden zu einer Dehnungsfalz (9) einer Stange (10) der steuerfaltenbalgenden Hydraulikzylinder (11) ist, wobei ein Setzkopf (12) der steuerfaltenbalgenden Hydraulikzylinder (11) drehbar durch einen Mittelbolzen (13) mit einem Signalhebel (14) verbunden ist, der durch einen ersten Randbolzen (15) drehbar zum Tragkörper (1) befestigt ist, und durch einen zweiten Randbolzen (16) auf einem längeren Arm kinematisch mit einer Signalzugstange (17) ausgestattet mit einer Signalfeder (18) befestigt zum Tragkörper (1) verbunden ist, und verbunden durch einen Bolzen (19) mit einem Signalmitnehmer (20) fest befestigt auf eine Signalwelle (21) mit Zeigern (22) der Ventilpositionen, wobei eine Bewegung des Setzkopfs (12) und des Signalhebels (14) umgrenzt längliegend durch einem Falz (23) im Tragkörper (1) ist, durch den die Mittelbolzen (13) hindurchgeht, wobei ein zweiarmiger Hebel (24) mit einem Sperrarm (25) und einen Pufferarm (26) drehbar in einem Sperrhalter (27) gelagert ist, in dem eine reversible Feder (28) gelagert ist, die angeführte reversible Feder (28) ist durch ein Ende des Pufferarms (26) unterstützt, wobei der Sperrhalter (27) auf den Trägerkörper (1) derart befestigt ist, dass in der Schließstellung des Belüftungsventils (29) und des Bodenventils (30), der Sperrarm (25) in eine Ausnehmung (31) des Signalmitnehmer (20) schnappt, und in der Offenstellung des Belüftungsventils (29) und des Bodenventils (30) nach einer Drehung des Mitnehmers (4) und mit seinem Kontakt mit dem Pufferarm (26), der Sperrarm (25) aufgeklappt außer die Ausnehmung (31) ist, und die steuerfaltenbalgende Hydraulikzylinder (11) ist seriell verbunden durch eine Austrittleitung (32) mit einem faltenbalgen Hydraulikeinheit (33) des Belüftungsventils (29), und auch durch eine Verbindungsleitung (34) mit einer faltenbalgen Hydraulikeinheit (35) des Bodenventils (30).
     


    Revendications

    1. L'unité de commande hydraulique pour un wagon-citerne comportant une soupape de fond (30) et une soupape d'aération (29) destinées à la vidange, par le fond, de liquides transportés, caractérisée en ce qu'elle est équipée de leviers de commande manuels (3) comportant une barre (2) montée à rotation sur un support porteur (1) attaché au châssis du wagon-citerne, ladite barre (2) étant fixée à un entraîneur (4) fixé par un joint articulé à un levier de vitesses (5), ledit levier de vitesses (5) étant fixé par un joint articulé à un levier de commande pivotant (6) monté à rotation sur un axe (7) dudit support porteur (1), lorsqu'un bras court (8) dudit levier de commande pivotant (6) est connecté par un joint articulé à une rainure de dilatation (9) d'un barre (10) d'un cylindre de commande hydraulique à soufflet (11), lorsqu'une culasse de support (12) dudit cylindre de commande hydraulique à soufflet (11) est monté à rotation autour d'un axe central (13) à un levier de signal (14), ledit levier de signal étant monté à rotation autour d'un axe (15) sur ledit support porteur (1), sur une extrémité, et attaché cinématiquement, sur un bras plus long, sur l'autre extrémité, par un axe (16) à une bielle de signal (17) équipée d'un ressort de signal (18) fixé au support porteur (1), et attachée par un axe (19) à un entraîneur de signal (20) fixé à un arbre de signal (21) comportant des indicateurs (22) de position des soupapes, lorsque le mouvement de ladite culasse de support (12) et dudit levier de signal (14) étant délimité dans le sens longitudinal par une rainure (23) dans ledit support porteur (1) traversée par l'axe central (13), lorsqu'un levier à deux bras (24) avec un bras de blocage (25) et un bras tampon (26), étant monté à rotation sur un support de blocage (27) comportant un ressort de rappel (28), ledit ressort de rappel (28) étant soutenu par une extrémité dudit bras tampon (26), lorsque ledit support de blocage (27) étant fixé sur ledit support porteur (1) de telle manière que, en positions fermées des soupapes d'aération (29) et de fond (30), ledit bras de blocage (25) rentre dans un encochement (31) de l'entraîneur de signal (20) et, en positions ouvertes des soupapes d'aération (29) et de fond (30), lorsque l'entraîneur (4) est tourné et touche ledit bras tampon (26), ledit bras de blocage (25) se trouve hors l'encochement (31) et ledit cylindre de commande hydraulique à soufflet (11) est branché en série, par un tuyau de sortie (32), à une unité hydraulique à soufflet (33) de ladite soupape d'aération (29) et ensuite, par un tuyau de liaison (34), à une unité hydraulique à soufflet (35) de ladite soupape de fond (30).
     




    Drawing








    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description